


ReyLo Prompt Drabbles

by Noppoh



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Drabble Collection, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-19
Updated: 2019-03-09
Packaged: 2019-04-04 19:23:52
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 43
Words: 55,612
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14027079
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Noppoh/pseuds/Noppoh
Summary: These are all based on visual prompts given every Monday on the ReyLo Fic Recs Facebook page. Check the chapter summary for a link (if existing) to the prompt.All drabbles are un-beta'ed, so pardon me the mistakes.Tags - if necessary - will be added for each chapter/drabble.General disclaimer: All things Star Wars belongs to Lucasfilm Ltd., LucasArts, Walt Disney Co. and whoever else holds copyright to the Star Wars franchise.





	1. College

**Author's Note:**

> 20180212 - [Artist tumblr - pixelrey](http://pixelrey.tumblr.com)  
> The prompt was a gif of Adam Driver dragging his hand through his hair and blowing out a breath, followed by Daisy Ridley reading a book while lightly touching her lips with her fingers.

He took a deep breath, trying to gather his courage. In his mind, he went over every possible greeting he could think of.

 

“Hi, I’m Ben.” Such a plain thing to say.

 

“Hello, do you come here often?” Of course he knew that she did, he sat there more often than her, trying to catch a glimpse of this perfect woman. But, what if, by some miracle, she had noticed him and knew he had seen her before? No, that would become a most awkward situation.

 

“I’ve seen you here before and I thought I would come say hello.” No, no, definitely no! She would think him a stalker. Which he kind of was, but not in a creepy way!

 

“You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen and you intrigue me.” He cringed at the thought. Yes, that didn’t sound corny at all… Besides, she would probably think him nuts and move to leave.

 

Simply “Hello” then? He sighed. She would merely answer his greeting and forget about him as soon as she returned to her book.

 

With a flick of his head, he threw his hair out of his eyes. She was doing that thing again, where she touched her lips in thought. It was so damn adorable, as well as incredibly sexy. He wondered how her lips would feel under his fingers. Would they be as soft as he imagined them?

 

Squeezing his eyes shut, the tried to stop that train of thought. He wasn’t a pervert. He wasn’t here to spy on her so he could get off later in the evening. No! He was there to finally pluck up the courage to greet her.

 

Doubt overwhelmed his senses. Why would she want to get to know him in the first place? By the looks of the books she was reading, she studied law; while he was a poor art student who created pieces most described as ‘sinister’.

 

His teachers had even commented that his pseudo ‘Kylo Ren’ had something dark about it, although they could never point out why. He guessed they simply thought him a disturbed individual and projected it on his artist name.

 

Perhaps he should keep his pseudo under wraps for the time being, in case it scared her off? Or perhaps he should lead with it? Show her he was different than the rest?

 

She turned a page and bend her neck, obviously trying to relief some soreness. Ben entertained the thought of offering her a neck massage in way of a greeting, but quickly discarded the notion. Not something you offered a stranger, no matter how much you feel you already know her.

 

He even knew her name, having picked it up as one of her friends had called out to her. Rey. It suited her, this beautiful woman that seemed to brighten the room simply by walking in. And her smile, her smile made her entire face light up. One day, he hoped, he would be the reason for that smile.

 

Glancing at the clock, he realised he would have to act soon if he wanted to talk to her. She always left around the same time and it was approaching fast. He blew out a breath and got up. Dragging a hand through his hair before clenching and unclenching both of them by his side, he tried to casually walk up to her.

 

Perhaps plain was the best approach, he decided. Feeling incredibly nervous, he sat down next to her.

 

“Hi, I’m Ben.”

 

She put her finger on the line she was reading and looked up at him. The breath was stolen from his chest as she smiled at him. “It took you long enough to approach me, Ben, for all the staring you’ve been doing. I was starting to think I would have to make the first move.” She tilted her head to the side, studying him. “Hi, I’m Rey.”


	2. Attraction

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 20180219 - [Artist Tumblr - pixelrey](http://pixelrey.tumblr.com)  
> The prompt was a gif of the Force bond scene where Kylo is gloriously without shirt.
> 
> Tags: Smut; Explicit content

She swallowed and grimaced, looking away and trying to hide her true reactions. By the Force! She should not have let it come to this! Why did she allow him to wind her up? Arguing over moot points, somehow having him claim that she was attracted to him, denial, a wicked grin and suddenly a lack of a shirt.

"Rey," he purred.

She swallowed again, fighting the blush that was bound to spread. That voice! It did such wicked things to her. She bit down on her lip, hard, hoping the pain would be enough to clear her head.

"Rey."

He sounded much closer, causing her to look back at him. Her eyes widened at the sight of his muscled chest right in front of her. Damn, he looked so good! And he was within reaching distance. If she reached out, she could trail her fingers along his collarbones and down to the waistband of his trousers...

No! He was a monster! Evil incarnate! She was part of the light and refused to be tempted! Blinking, she ripped her eyes away from the delectable sight in front of her and leaned her head back to look at his face. He was so tall. She always liked tall men. His brown eyes and luscious lips were at odds with the harshness she knew was hidden inside him. She wondered how it would feel to run her hands through his wavy hair.

A slow smirk spread across his lips. "Rey," he said for a third time, her name falling from his mouth in a most sensual way. He stepped closer, invading her personal space. "You want me," he said, "admit it."

"I- Uhm. No. I- Uhm. I don't?"

He brushed his thumb over her lips, causing her to gasp lightly. "You can't lie to me, Rey."

Not for the first time, she cursed their bond. If she could lie to herself about her attraction to him, why did he need to know the truth?

His thumb stopped its movement, his fingers caressing her cheek before trailing down the side of her neck. She instinctively tilted her head. He seemed fascinated by the sight of his fingers touching her skin. His eyes followed his every movement. The intensity in them made her shiver, and when he turned those eyes on hers, she couldn't prevent the small, almost desperate sound that escaped her.

He bend closer, his lips just shy of her ear. "Tell me you want me."

"Ben."

He grumbled. "Kylo."

Darkness crept into his voice, infusing it with a strength that was sinfully intoxicating. Closing her eyes, she moaned. She would not allow herself to be tempted! She would not give in! Her hands rose to rest lightly against his chest, her fingers tracing erratic patterns on his skin. She would not give in!

A sigh fell from her mouth. "Kylo."

Suddenly, she was being crushed against a wall, both her wrists encircled by one of his big hands and held high above her head. His lips descended on hers, the kiss violent and urgent. His strong, firm body was pressed against hers, holding her in place more effectively than any Force bind ever could.

His free hand was on her hip, his grip so strong she knew she would bruise. She answered his desperate kiss with her own desire, wrapping a leg around his hip and grinding into him. She could feel his erection pressing against her thigh.

With an impatient grunt, he grabbed her shirt and tore it to pieces. The bindings around her breasts soon met a similar fate. Rey keened as his large hand palmed her breast, his skin rough from all the saber practice, scratching and rubbing her. Unable to keep up with his kissing, she tilted her head back against the wall, arching into him.

His lips traveled a path down her neck. He simultaneously bit down on her pulse point and flicked her nipple, causing her to moan loudly. Her knees buckled and she sagged, being held up only by his strong hold on her wrists.

"Tell me you want me," he repeated. His voice was hoarse, his breathing fast and erratic.

"Kylo, please!" she begged. "Please, I want you, just, please!"

With sudden, violent movements, he tore her pants from her body before quickly unfastening and stepping out of his own. He effortlessly picked her up, urging her to wrap her legs around him.

"Mine!" he grumbled, smoothly sinking into her.

Rey moaned at the feeling of being stretched by him. She felt glorious, complete. Her nails dug into his shoulders as she tilted her hips.

"Please," she whispered again.

With his face buried in the crook of her neck, he slowly pulled out, only to roughly plunge back in. Lips, teeth and tongue teased her pulse point until she was certain it would leave a mark. The pace he set was relentless, frantic, almost out of control.

"Kiss me, Kylo, kiss me."

His lips once more met hers and she buried her hands in his dark locks. They felt silken smooth.

"Mine," he murmured again.

It send a delightful shiver down her spine. His hips were slapping against hers in a strong, almost punishing pace. He hit every sweet spot inside her and it didn't take long before she could feel the tension build.

She threw her head back, breaking their kiss. "By the Force, yes, don't stop, please don't stop!"

"Rey," he breathed in her ear, his tone bordering devotion.

The sound of it traveled straight to her core, causing her to explode and moan his name. She convulsed in his arms, the strength of her orgasm ripping the air out of her lungs. Kylo grunted in her ear, following her orgasm with his own. She could feel him pulsing inside her and arched into him with another moan.

He lowered them down to the ground, lying back with her on top of him. They both gasped for air as their racing hearts calmed.

"This can never happen again," Rey eventually commented.

"Oh, my little scavenger," Kylo promised, "this will happen every time we meet."


	3. At the Beach

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 20180226 - [At the Beach](http://elithien.tumblr.com/post/141690984123/rey-1-kylo-ren-0)  
> 

Ben smiled as he allowed an excited Rey to practically drag him towards the beach. He couldn’t believe it; he still couldn’t believe this beautiful, bubbly girl – woman – wanted to have him as a boyfriend. Him. So when she proposed an afternoon on the beach, he easily agreed. Anything to make her happy.

She beamed at him from over her shoulder. “Come on, Ben!”

He nodded in response, dutifully following her onto the sand until she found a spot that suited her.

“It’s perfect, isn’t it?”

Again, he merely nodded and smiled. ‘You’re perfect,’ he wanted to answer, but he felt it was too corny so he held his tongue. He wanted to give her compliments, tell her how amazing she was, but the words never seemed to come out or, when he did voice them, they sounded awkward. He hoped she knew though.

Rey pulled a big towel out of their bag and arranged it on the sand before securing it at the corners with weird looking weights.

“What are those?” he asked, digging through the bag for his own towel.

“Porg-shaped weights.”

He picked up one of the weights and studied the bird-like creature. “Porgs?”

She threw him an unbelieving look and laughed. “Yes, porgs! You don’t know them? They’re all over the campus, how have you missed them? They’re the latest craze. You really should come out of your studio more often, you know.”

Ben didn’t know how to respond to that and, feeling slightly embarrassed, took his time to arrange his own towel. He made sure there was enough space between his towel and hers. He didn’t want her to think he was trying to take advantage of their outing, or that he wanted to go places she wasn’t ready for yet. People always told him he was too intense and if he scared her off, he would never forgive himself.

Once more digging through their bag, he discovered a couple more of the ‘porgs’. Turning around to place them on his towel, he noticed Rey had moved it, making sure their towels overlapped for a good ten centimeters.

He blinked, surprised. She was looking up at him with a big, bright smile, but he thought he saw a hint of uncertainty in her eyes. The change in seating excited him, but he kept a neutral face, merely putting down the weights and lowering himself onto the towel.

Rey let out a contented sigh and he looked at her. She was unstrapping her sandals and carelessly tossing them to the side. Fluently, she got up to wriggle her toes in the sand. Her flowery dress moved around her in the soft breeze. He thought she looked like a faerie, too perfect to belong to the world.

“I really like the beach, you know. It reminds me of home. Except for the sea, there’s so much water here.”

“It’s so vast it makes you think everything is possible,” he answered. He wanted to groan, what kind of answer was that? To his relief, however, Rey seemed satisfied with it, humming and turning back to the sea.

“Will you grab the sunscreen?” Rey asked.

He frowned, confused by the sudden change of topic. “Sure.”

Before he could reach for the bag, he realised her intent. His breath hitched as she grabbed the hem of her dress and pulled it over her head. He was momentarily stunned by the sight of her dainty body clad in nothing more than a yellow bikini.

Rey turned towards him. “Ben?”

With a shock, he remembered how to breathe. “Sunscreen, yes, coming right away.” In his haste, he missed the small blush and pleased smile on Rey’s face.

It took all his willpower as he tried not to stare while she smeared liberal amounts of sunscreen on her body. He tried to divert himself by applying it himself, but he finished much too quickly. When she asked him to do her back, he felt like the luckiest man on earth. The feeling persisted when she decided she’d do his back in return.

For a while, they merely enjoyed the sun. Rey was dozing off, sunbathing, while Ben grabbed his sketchbook and started drawing her; the way her hair was spread out around her head, the smooth lines of her body, her relaxed face with those rosy lips. He didn’t think he would ever get enough of drawing her. Eventually, Rey woke up and he quickly put away his things, uncomfortable with her seeing those particular drawings.

“Let’s go for a swim,” she said, “I’m getting overheated.”

“Sure.”

She sat up and looked at him. He could have sworn her eyes trailed down his body before she energetically jumped up and grabbed his hand. Laughing, she pulled him up and started running down to the water.

They threw up quite the splash when they hit the first waves. He was almost knee-deep in when he realised she wasn’t following anymore. Concerned, he looked back.

“Rey?”

She was reaching behind her back, a mischievous look on her face. “Ben,” she said, “how badly do you want to swim?”

He could feel his eyes grow wide as the bikini top fell away. This was turning out to be the best day of his life.


	4. A Battle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 20180305 - [A Battle](https://darkestsiide.tumblr.com/post/171212413734)  
> The prompt was similar to the gif in the link (it was made by the same artist, but I can't seem to find it anymore). The one used for the prompt had Rey straining against Kylo with her eyes closed.
> 
> Tags: Dark!Rey; Dark!Kylo; insinuation of sex

Their sabers hissed and crackled violently as he pushed her down, trying to get her on her knees. He could see the muscles in her arms straining against his strength. Time and time again he was surprised by her tenacity.

He watched her face with interest as she closed her eyes, searching for something almost unreachable, something buried inside her. For a moment, her face slackened with serenity, before her eyes snapped open, blazing fire at him.

Rey growled. She gave him a mighty shove, pushing him away and causing him to stumble. With a snarl, she followed, her saber raining down on him.

"Yes!" Kylo shouted, elated. "Yes! Take it! Use it!"

He could see the fury, the anger, the power and Darkness that was coursing through her veins. Laughing outrageously, he took a firmer hold on his saber and gathered his own portion of the Force around him. With a wicked grin, he attacked. The sound of their fight reverberated through the forest. Trees were scarred and taken down. The snow melted below their feet.

It didn't take long before Rey joined him in his mad laughter. She felt powerful, stronger than she ever had before. The Force was coursing through her veins, Darkness guiding her movements. Nothing was hindering her anymore. She wasn't concerned about hurting Kylo, he could hold his own. Even if she did manage to touch him, he would deserve it for failing to defend himself. Guilt was a long forgotten memory. Compassion lost in a storm of power.

Accepting his offer was the best thing she had ever done.

Kylo managed to Force-push her against a tree. Within a flash, he was looming above her, his saber only barely removed from her neck. She lifted her chin, defiantly. His lips crashed down on hers, the energy of his saber burning her skin. The pain was as delicious as his kiss.

He pulled back, breathing heavily. "It didn't take you as long this time," he commented.

"Still not good enough," she answered. "I can't call to it like you do." A snarl escaped her, frustration evident.

He extinguished his saber, clipping it back on his belt before leaning into her. "My power-hungry queen," he breathed, "always so eager for more." He licked the shell of her ear, causing her to shiver. "I'll teach you, don't worry, little scavenger."

Rey growled at the nickname, sharply pulling his hair and forcing his head back. "Don't call me that," she snapped.

Kylo laughed darkly, his hand sneaking up to encircle her neck. "You think you have power over me?" he taunted, squeezing lightly.

She rolled her hips against him. "Oh, I know I have."

For a moment, the forest was quiet, tension so palatable it seemed life itself was holding its breath. It shattered when a different fight started, the sound of tearing clothes and grunts, half pain, half pleasure, filling the air.

 


	5. Nice Try

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 20180313 - The prompt was an artwork which had Rey walk out of a room, her staff behind her shoulder blades, saying "Nice try", while Kylo stands facing away, in full attire including mask.

“Nice try.”

Kylo sighed. He didn’t have to look to know she was sashaying her hips as she walked away; teasing him, playing with him. The door hissed as it closed behind her.

He cursed himself for his weakness, cursed his mother for coming up with this dastardly plan, cursed Rey for agreeing with it. She had seduced him, talked with him, shown him mercy. She had promised him so many things and then betrayed him.

xXxXxXx

It had been a trap. She had talked him into taking off his mask – the new one he had made after Crait, meant to hide his unstable emotions – and several darts had hit him in the face, tranquilizing him.

He woke up on a medium sized cargo ship. Alone. His saber was nowhere in sight, but his mask was next to the bed he was lying on. Putting it on made him feel more secure, more in control.

Checking out the room, he eventually ended up by the door. To his utter surprise, it opened when he pressed the button. He prepared to face guards, but none came. The hallway was completely empty. Uncomprehending and on edge, he started walking.

Eventually, he ended up in the main living room, where normally the crew of such a ship would spend the majority of their free time. It was there that he found her.

“Took you long enough.” She smirked.

Fury coursed through him. No longer caring who she was and what she meant to him, he attacked her with the Force. She blocked him, countered him, defied him with the very tricks he had taught her. It enraged him even more. Seeing red, he lunged at her with his fists. The end of her staff hit him hard in the ribs.

“Are you done?” she asked haughtily. “There’s no use. Even if you were to defeat me, you will not be getting off this ship. There’s no fuel, the radio can only contact the Resistance, and there’s enough food to last us a year.”

“Then why are you here?” he asked, trying hard not to cough.

“I’m your jailor, Kylo Ren.” She walked out of the room. The fact that she hadn’t called him Ben stung more than he cared to admit.

xXxXxXx

He shook his head to dispel the memory. That had been three, four months ago? It was difficult to keep track of time on this ship in the middle of space. The memory resurfaced constantly. He tried to remember her eyes, to figure out if they held the same sadness he noticed weeks after.

In the beginning, he had avoided her at all cost. Something that wasn’t difficult on a ship that size. He made his own meals with the supplies that kept appearing in the kitchen, probably by Rey’s doing. He kept himself busy, first with training in the Force, later with the books from the library he discovered.

Eventually, loneliness drove him back to her, no matter how much he loathe it. It was not long after he noticed the sadness.

First, he thought it was merely the loneliness getting to her too, then, he started realising she only looked like that when she looked at him. It gave him enough pause to start wondering, and to start questioning her.

In the end, bit by bit, he managed to get the entire story out of her. How she had told his mother all about their connection. How Leia had encouraged her, saying ‘he needed someone in his life’. He learned about how it was – again – his mother who had concocted the plan to deceive him and lock him on this deserted ship.

With him gone, the odds between Resistance and First Order would be more even, giving them a winning chance. Rey was put on the ship with him to guard him. She, as she had smugly put, was the only one he couldn’t influence.

Thinking it through, he realised she was as much a pawn as he was. He started truly wondering about the sad looks she gave him. What if? What if it wasn’t all a hoax after all? What if she was being loyal, despite herself?

And so he turned the game around. He started seducing her. She was the only way off the ship after all.

It didn’t take her long to discover his ploy. Eventually, it turned into a game between them. She would hit him with her staff if he came too close. He would steal touches and caresses when he managed to evade or surprise her. When they grew too bored, they would duel, without fault ending with one pinning the other down.

He whispered promises, lured her to him. She would allow it to happen, then laugh and walk away. He could see the pain flash behind her eyes every time she did.

It was a dangerous game they played.

Sighing, he unclasped his mask. He still wore it, although he didn’t quite know why. Looking at it, he remembered the time he had smashed the previous one against an elevator wall. It was when he decided to turn his back on Snoke, to become his own man.

In truth, the game was tiring him. The harsh feeling of betrayal had left him a long time ago. He wanted her, getting off the damned ship seemed less important now, redundant even. He wanted to see her eyes smile.

Shaking his head, he returned to his quarters to place the mask on its stand next to the bed. He would once more become his own man.

Neither he nor Rey knew what was happening out in the Galaxy. He found he didn’t really care about who won anymore. The distance from it all made him realise the mistakes of the First Order. Yet, the Resistance didn’t seem that much better to him.

He walked into the living area, still thinking. Rey looked up and gasped.

“Ben.”

The use of his given name both surprised and delighted him. He hadn’t heard it even once since he was captured. Looking up at Rey, he saw she was staring at him, her eyes full of tears.

“Ben,” she repeated.

He went to sit next to her, fully expecting her staff to connect with his chest and utterly surprised when that did not happen. Bewildered, he lowered himself unto the couch.

“Rey,” he answered her, slowly reaching out to wipe away an escaped tear, “why are you truly here?”

She looked away from him, at her hands that were folded in her lap. “I- I couldn’t forgive myself. I- The Resistance- I wanted to get away from it all. They’re not … what I thought.”

The confession surprised him. He hadn’t actually expected an answer. He scooted closer and tapped her chin, causing her to look up at him.

“Rey,” he prompted again, almost a sigh.

Her eyes grew wide as he leaned in. Then, with a small whimper, she closed the distance between them, planting her lips on his and tangling her hands in his hair. They kissed passionately, like two people who had been starving for contact far longer than sanity could hold up.

He gathered her in his arms when they broke apart, breathing heavily. “We’ll figure this out, Rey. It will be alright.”


	6. Assassination

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 20180319 - [Assassination](http://sparklepoodles.tumblr.com/post/170993015704/roommates-reylo-au)  
> The prompt is the gif in the top right corner of the gifset, where Adam is pounding on the door Daisy is hiding behind.

Rey leaned against the door, Kylo's pounding against it vibrating through her. She couldn't do it. She simply couldn't do it. Staring into nothing, she wondered what to do next. This was the culmination of weeks, no, months of preparation. Still, she couldn’t do it.

The First Order and the Resistance had been rivalling gangs - if you could call rivalling upper-class consortia 'gangs' - for as long as human memory went back. One was always trying to get the upper hand over the other, using violence if need be. Lately, the First Order seemed indestructible.

Rey had always been nothing. Starting out as a simple errand runner in order to get food on the table. She had been surprisingly good at it. People had taken notice, forcing her into fights more than once. It was a rough life, but at least she could eat. However, things had started to change when she caught the eye of one of the higher ranking members. He asked her to join him in a meeting. He asked politely, even though they both knew she didn't really have a choice.

She was thrust from the errand runner's scenery into one of high society parties and friendly faces. She learned the true differences between the First Order and the Resistance; how they treated their people, how they viewed the world. For the first time in her life, Rey felt like she belonged somewhere. She made friends, shared their visions, and had a cause to believe in.

Plans were being made around her, she was well aware, but she figured they would come to light sooner or later. Therefore, she was not surprised when that same, high ranking member approached her again.

"We have a request."

"Of course."

"We want you to train with our special forces."

It had been an odd request. Rey had frowned but accepted. Why not? The trainings had been hard, gruesome at times. In a short time, she honed her fighting skills to near perfection, adding knives and guns to her arsenal. They also trained her in etiquette, pose, lying and stealth. It didn't take her long to figure out that the 'special forces' were in fact highly skilled spies. It made her wonder where they wanted to send her.

The answer came when she was escorted by two burly bodyguards to meet the COO of the Resistance; a small, odd-looking woman with big glasses. Rey figured her to be a lot deadlier than she looked.

"Rey," the woman had greeted her, "I have been watching you."

"Madam," Rey answered, giving a respectful bow.

"Yes, you are so much more than you seem. Perfect. Simply perfect. I have great hope for you, young lady."

"Madam," Rey repeated, tinting her voice with gratitude while wondering what was going on.

"Oh, stop with the 'Madam" alright! Are you faithful to our cause, young lady?"

"Yes."

"Good. We're sending you into First Order territory. You will befriend Kylo Ren, earn his trust, and assassinate him."

"What?!"

"If you cut off the head of the snake, the body can no longer move."

"But- But..."

"Did you not say you were loyal to the cause?"

The glint of steel in the woman's eyes and voice caused Rey to straighten her posture. "Yes, Madam. I am. Apologies for my shock. I will proceed with my mission."

"Good. Off with you."

The next days had gone by in a frenzy. She was installed in an apartment in the city that housed the First Order headquarters. She was briefed on Kylo Ren's routines and the clubs he frequented. There was information provided from his favourite colour, to his favourite meal, to how many parking tickets he had earned himself and what he seemed to like most in women.

Only when the prep and intelligence team left her, did Rey have the time to think about her mission. Befriend and assassinate Kylo Ren? The man was vile, a monster even if only half their information consisted of the truth. Certainly, the world would be a better place without him. She would not disappoint the Resistance, she would not disappoint her family.

So Rey had started frequenting the same clubs until she finally bumped into him. He was hard to miss; tall, dark and intense as he was, he had quite the presence. Women fawned all over him, but he stared them down. It took Rey a while to spot the hidden bodyguards.

When he sauntered towards the bar, she manoeuvred herself to bump into him. Careful not to spill her drink on him - it would do no good to anger him - she started apologising profusely.

"Oh my, I am so sorry!" She looked up at him and swallowed. Standing so close to her, he really was imposing. "Let me buy you your drink as an apology."

He stared her down, a frown marring his forehead.

"Uhm, no?" Rey feigned uncertainty before returning to her cheerfulness. "I really am sorry."

Silence.

She stared at him. "Can you talk?"

"Of course I can talk, you bint!"

From the corner of her eye, she saw the bodyguards move in. "Uhm, okay then. I get it." She started moving away. "Enjoy your evening."

The following week, she shadowed him, feeling there was something amiss with the intel she was given. By the next Friday, she still hadn't figured out what it was that bothered her. Nonetheless, she had stationed herself once more at the same club. The evening had barely started when she caused them to cross paths.

"You again."

Rey wondered how a monster such as him could have such an appealing voice. She looked up with a wide smile. "The same can be said for you!"

"Are you stalking me?"

Did he know? "Self-important, aren't you? I'm new in town and I quite like this club."

He frowned at her again. His mouth was moving, causing her to stare at his lips. Abruptly, he seemed to come to a decision.

"Forgive me my rudeness, you wouldn't be the first stalker. Allow me to buy you a drink."

"I wonder," Rey quipped, "are you expecting me to decline like you did last week?"

The intensity in his eyes had made her shiver, but she gave him nothing more than a playful smile. They had bantered throughout the evening, ending it with an inquiry if they would meet again the next week. It had been the beginning of her mission, and the beginning of their friendship.

Rey quickly discovered a lot of her intel had been wrong. When he was with her, she only caught glimpses of the monster he was rumoured to be. When he eventually moved in for a kiss, she let him; convincing herself it was for the mission and not because she really wanted him to.

Their relationship had progressed slowly. It was obvious to her Kylo did not give his trust easily. She wondered what had happened in his past for him to be so guarded. How many people had hurt him. At least she would be the final one, for her betrayal would literally kill him. Rey did not allow herself to feel sorrow for him.

And now she was hiding in the bathroom of his penthouse, unable to kill him, unable to fulfil her mission.

The evening had gone splendid. He had taken her to a movie in the park, giving his security team plenty of nightmares. When he had kissed her senseless, whispering his request to go home with him in her ear, she simply could not resist.

She decided that it was now or never. Already, she was too emotionally involved. He pulled her into the living room, encasing her in his arms and pulling her close. Eagerly, she started undoing his shirt. When it fell to the ground, she reached up to her hair and the sharpened pin that held it together. Her hands on her hair, his on her waist, their lips locked together, Rey froze.

She could not do it. Her earlier assessment had been right, she was in too deep. Way too deep. Her eyes widened as she could no longer deny her feelings.

With a whimper, she had fled. His shouted 'Rey' haunted her ears and she hid behind the first door she encountered. It turned out to be the one to the bathroom.

"Rey! Move away from the door!"

The change from 'let me in' caught her attention. "Why?" she yelled back.

"If you won't let me in, by the Force, I'll kick in the door!"

"What? You would damage your own house?"

"If that's what it takes to get to you! Now move away!"

Rey blinked, baffled, before springing into action. "No! No! Wait!"

As soon as she unlocked the door, it swung inwards, causing her to stumble back. Kylo stood in the doorway, breathing heavily and with anger burning in his eyes.

"Why did you run from me?" He took a measured step inside the room.

"I-" Rey looked down, trying to avoid him. She knew this was her end. If she told him - and she would have to - he would not forgive her. He would become hard as granite, as unforgiving and unfeeling as ice, and he would most probably kill her.

He roughly grabbed her chin. "Why didn't you kill me?"

It took her completely off guard. "Wh- What?"

"You think I did not know you were sent by the Resistance to kill me? Please, give my intelligence office some credit!"

"But- But why?"

"Why talk to you? Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. Ever heard of that one?"

Rey couldn't help the tears that welled up in her eyes. She stared up at him, at the face she loved so much. The knowledge she had been played like she had tried to play him hurt more than she had ever imagined.

Kylo's features softened. "At least, at the beginning. Now, now I don't know anymore."

"You don't know?" she croaked.

He pulled the pin out of her hair and tossed it to the ground. "Why didn't you kill me?"

"Because..." She stared at him, afraid of her own feelings, afraid of how he would react, afraid of her own betrayal of the Resistance. "Because I love you," she whispered.

"You silly bint." He enveloped her in his arms, pressing her head against his chest and resting his chin on top of her hair. "You silly, silly bint."

"You're not going to kill me?" she mumbled, barely audible.

Kylo pulled back and cupped her face in his hands. "No. No, my dear. Tomorrow we'll sort out this mess. But tonight, tonight I'm going to make love to you." He kissed her forehead before lightly pressing his lips on hers. "For I am afraid I'm falling in love with you too."

 


	7. Fascination

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 20180326 - [Fascination](http://sparklepoodles.tumblr.com/post/170470650409/having-feelings-for-someone-you-have-no-chance)  
> The gif is the left one on the second row, where Daisy is walking and Adam tries to see her better.
> 
> Tags: stalker!Kylo

She fascinated him. Initially, he had only given her a cursory glance when she walked out of the apartment building across the street. He noticed her sparkling eyes and happy demeanor. It had been cause for jealousy. 

His interest had spiked when he realised she had moved into the apartment facing his. Watching her move around her home distracted him from his own, dreary life. She seemed to have little possessions, but to cherish each and every one of them. 

Her life was repetitive. Every morning she would wake up at 6:30 and leave at 7:30. She returned between 5 and 5:30 pm. He often wondered about her job. Somehow, he couldn’t see her sitting behind a desk.

At one point, curiosity had won out and he followed her as she left. It became a habit to watch her walk into the coffee shop at the corner and order a latte with a muffin. It was either a blueberry one or one with chocolate chips, depending on how much she had slept.

Knowing her set pattern, he started going earlier to wait for her, or arriving as she left. Those little brushes with her made his day and gave him the energy for his own work until she returned.

One morning, not too long ago, she had greeted him. He had mumbled something in return. Somehow - ‘Hi. I’m Kylo. I live across the street from you. I know your daily routine as if it was my own. You’ll be taking the subway next, won’t you? On Saturdays, you like to watch a movie with a blanket draped around you. You go to the market on Sundays where you will always, always buy tomatoes. What is it about tomatoes? You train in martial arts 3 times a week. You’re surprisingly good at it, I’ve seen. Would you allow me to train with you once?’ - did not seem like the most appropriate answer ever.

It was that moment that he realised he was stalking her.

He also realised he couldn’t stop. 

When she deviated from her usual Saturday-night plans, he had initially been surprised. As soon as it became evident that she was dressing up with care, jealousy had struck. Who was she going out with? He felt possessive over her. Did he not know her better than anybody else?

The decision to follow her was quickly made. He hoped her penchant to take the subway did not change now that she had taken such care of her appearance. 

When she walked out of the building, the sight of her took his breath away. The glimpses he had caught through the windows were nothing compared to seeing this beauty standing in front of him. Her hair was pulled back in an elegant bun. A shiny necklace graced her neck, half hidden by the faux fur coat that kept her warm against the late-night breeze. The black, form-fitting cocktail dress ended mid-thigh and showed off her legs.

Purposefully, she turned left and took her usual route. He frowned when she walked past the subway entrance and instead crossed the street. It didn’t take him long to realise she was heading towards the nearby park. What was she thinking? That place was dangerous at night!

For a moment, he considered stopping her. However, that would force him to reveal he had been following her. He would watch and come to her aid if need be instead. He would protect her.

Kylo followed from a distance as she walked through the iron wrought gate and into the park. Even though he knew she was very capable of taking care of herself, he checked every dark patch between the sparse lampposts and watched the shrubbery for suspicious movement. 

When they passed the playground, he could see a man waiting and waving at her, so he stayed back. Kylo narrowed his eyes and studied the man. He was dark skinned and had his black hair cropped short. The light, leather jacket he wore seemed well-worn. Kylo could even spot an obvious repair at the shoulder.

She greeted the man by kissing him on the cheek. It seemed like they were familiar. Kylo didn’t like it, not one bit. He craned his neck to get a better view. A second man walked up to the pair and casually slung his arm around the first one. They smiled at each other before returning their attention to her. It dawned on Kylo that they were probably gay. What was she meeting a gay couple for?

He wondered what they were talking about. Their conversations somehow seemed both hushed and agitated. Kylo stiffened when both men suddenly looked up and straight at him. He tried to act casual, as if he was only passing by. When she, however, turned to glance at him as well, he started panicking.

She seemed to take a deep breath before turning around and marching his way. The men followed her closely, like two bodyguards. It took Kylo a second to realise they were indeed guarding her - against him. How preposterous!

Stopping in front of him, she looked him dead in the eye. “You!” She had the audacity to poke him in the chest. “Why do you keep following me?”

He stared at her, at her beautiful face and those wide, brown eyes. He knew he was gaping like a fish, but he honestly did not know how to respond. Her question took him off guard. He studied her, like he had so many times before, trying to find what it was that made her so fascinating. As always, it remained a mystery.

Kylo realised he could not draw out his reply any longer. He had to give her an answer.

“Because,” he softly said, “your mere presence makes my day worth living.”


	8. Awkward

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 20180402 - [Awkward](http://sparklepoodles.tumblr.com/post/165409289389/the-bad-boy-the-sweet-girl-reylo-au)  
> Second row, gif on the left - Daisy gives a confused look as Adam awkwardly waves at her (hence the title of this chapter)
> 
> Written in First Person - just because I could and wanted to try

Did that guy just _wave_ at me? Well that's... strange. Feeling awkward and unsure, I merely turn to grab my coffee off the counter and thank the waitress. Not wanting to risk getting any more attention thrown my way, I decide against studying at a table in front of the coffee shop. The weather is great though—one of the first really sunny days of the spring season—so I head for the park.

Along the way, I wonder what that guy was waving at me for. Perhaps it wasn't intended for me but for somebody standing behind me? That would make a lot more sense, so I decide to believe that instead of wasting time and energy on figuring out a mystery. Still, I wonder who he is.

If only there was somebody I could ask. But alas, as the poor kid on a rich-people's campus, I have no friends. Shrugging, I drop my bag under the nearest tree and drop down next to it. For a moment, I take the time to savour my coffee and the sound of singing birds and chattering people. Then, with a sigh, I grab my textbooks and start studying, forgetting all about the earlier incident.

xXxXxXx

Surprised, I grab my phone as it beeps. A text message? Whoever would send me a text message? I only have the phone for emergencies and so work can call me if they need me to pull an extra shift. Frowning, I tap the blinking icon.

"Hi. How are you? I'm the guy that waved at you two days ago, in the coffee shop. Do you remember? I just wanted to say I want to get to know you better. Goodbye."

I stare at the screen of my phone, blinking. An unsettled feeling creeps up my spine. I look up to scan my surroundings; there's no sign of him. Even if I had spotted him, I would have had no idea what to do. What does this mean?

Again, my phone beeps. A second message. Almost scared to know what it says, I open it.

"Don't worry, btw, I'm not a stalker. I got your number from the Student's Office at campus."

He's _not_ a stalker? The guy who manages to coax my number from the Student's Office and randomly tells me he wants to get to know me is _not_ a stalker? Hard to believe...

Realising I've been standing stock-still in the middle of the sidewalk for almost ten minutes, I quickly shove my phone back in my pocket. I'm going to be late for work! Talking off at a quick pace, I decide that not answering the text messages seems the best course of action. I wouldn't want to encourage him, whoever he is.

xXxXxXx

The next day I find myself in the Student's Office. During my slow-going shift at the fast-food restaurant, my anger towards the Office started building. Who were they to give away my phone number?

"Rey Doe?"

Force, I hate that last name! Briskly, I walk up to the counter.

"What can I help you with?" the lady asks, uninterested.

"I would like to know why you deem it acceptable to give my phone number to a complete stranger?" I demand, the annoyance clear in my voice.

"Excuse me? We do no such thing!"

I grab my phone and show the woman the text messages. She types the number in her computer.

"Oh."

"Oh?"

"Yes, well..." The woman swallows.

"What?" I yell at her.

She flinches. "We can't really deny him anything, with him being the son of director Organa."

I blink. "Excuse me?"

"He's director Leia Organa's son, Ben Solo. We wouldn't give out any personal information to anyone, but he's—different."

Gaping, I shake my head. "Right," I murmur, before turning to walk to my next class.

"I'm sorry, Miss."

With a quick wave of my hand, I dismiss the woman's apology. The damage has already been done, hasn’t it?

On my way to class, I ponder the information I just gathered. So, that was Ben Solo—better known as Kylo Ren? Even I heard stories about him. Dangerous, they say, could not be trusted. Women swooned over him and men envied him; yet they talked about him in hushed whispers, as if he would rise up from a shadow and slay them for saying his name. That image did not add up to the almost shy person I saw at the coffee shop.

Being a few years older, he frequented the other side of campus. How on earth had I managed to catch his attention? Me? A nothing? For as far as I knew, we never even crossed paths before that awkward moment almost a week ago. Have I been missing something?

xXxXxXx

Since I haven't seen the guy and no more messages are coming in, I try to forget the incident. I'm going paranoid though, constantly feeling like somebody is watching me. I just blame it on me being shook up by the entire thing. He must have given up when no response was forthcoming. Right?

It's Saturday and I'm leisurely walking back from my afternoon shift at the restaurant. When a hand grabs me and pulls me to the side, I shriek in surprise. I'm pushed against a wall and a tall figure looms over me.

"You!" I state in annoyance, immediately recognising him as my stalker who isn't a stalker. I surreptitiously look to the side and notice we're still on the main street. Well, I guess that means he's not going to kill me or something.

"Hi," he answers. His voice is deep, much richer than I would have expected. "You're not returning my messages, why?"

I stare at him. Is he serious? "You are following me..."

"Yes."

I wait for more—an explanation or an apology. None seems forthcoming. Yes? Just yes? As if it's the most normal thing to do; following a girl you don't know?

"Right... Yeah, so, I don't know you, and I'll be going now. Goodbye." I try to sidestep him, but he blocks my path.

"I'm Kylo Ren."

"I know."

"You just said you didn't."

"You're also Ben Solo."

"I don't like that name."

"Why not?"

"None of your business."

Silence reigns. I can't resist looking him up and down, and quickly wish I hadn't. He's damn gorgeous! Now I understand why all the women are swooning.

"What do you want?" I finally ask.

"To get to know you."

"Why?"

"You seem interesting."

I give him an unbelieving look. No way he actually meant that.

"No, truly," I say, "why?"

He tilts his head, his hair draws my attention. It seems so luxurious. "You don't believe me?"

"No."

"Then let me prove it. Let me take you for coffee."

"Why should I trust you?"

He leans in and I shiver involuntarily. There's just something about him, something hypnotic. "You know I could just pick you up and carry you there, don't you?"

My brain goes to mush and—against better judgement—I agree.


	9. Reunion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 20180409 - [Reunion](https://jade-belle-2187.tumblr.com/post/161808582908)  
> Tags: Smut; Explicit content

It had been too long since she had last seen him. She hated it when their diplomatic responsibilities separated them for long periods of time. There was always their Bond — ensuring they were never truly apart — but still; she longed to have him by her side again.

In full regalia, Rey awaited his return. She barely supressed a sigh when Kylo's ship entered the hangar. She kept her face neutral and her stature poised when the ramp lowered and his impressive silhouette appeared. His intimidating figure would never cease to ignite the fire in her body. Kylo walked down the ramp, the eyes behind his mask quickly surveying the room before he turned towards her.

Rey inclined her head. "My king, Supreme Leader, welcome. I hereby return command of the flagship to your capable hands."

He stared at her for a long time and, as so often, she envied him his mask. Where he could stare, she was stuck trying to keep her face from betraying how much she wanted him.

At long last, he returned the gesture. "My queen."

Oh, he knew how to use his voice. She nearly moaned at the way he said her title, caressing it, lacing it with seduction.

The First Commander started giving his obligatory report, but Kylo silenced him with a quick wave of his hand. The man bowed and retreated. Rey watched — no longer able to hide the burning in her eyes — as Kylo approached her as the predator he was. Reaching her, he tilted her chin back with gloved fingers.

"My queen," he repeated in a whisper. She could hear the desire in his voice. "Come."

Without so much as looking back at the entire honorary greeting party, he walked away. Rey stately followed. Once in the hallway, he took of his mask. He was already touching her with the Force — light touches going up and down her spine, soft nips at her neck, teasing caresses between her thighs. She desperately wanted to give in and allow herself to moan.

Troopers saluted, technicians and servants bowed when they saw them. It caused Rey to smirk — a habit she had copied from Kylo. Her smirk only grew more pronounced as Kylo stumbled slightly after her own Force power wrapped itself around his neck and squeezed — a warning, and a promise. She would give as much as she would get. They both hastened their step.

As soon as the door of their luxurious quarters hissed close behind them, Kylo smacked her against a wall; his body pressed into hers while their mouths clashed. There was frantic clawing at clothes, pulling at hair, kisses and bites that would leave bruises and marks; their lips hardly ever separated, their need for one another evident in every breath and every touch. Only when he was buried deep inside her did they slow down.

"My queen," he whispered in her ear, "Rey."

She sighed as he started kissing her neck. "Kylo, I missed you."

The hands under her buttocks clenched in response and she buried her nails in his back. His mouth returned to her lips and they kissed — slowly, languidly, reconnecting as they opened the Bond to one-another. Wanting him to move, Rey gathered the Force and started stroking his balls. Kylo grunted and complied. For a while, he slowly fucked her against the wall. Rey moaned in delight; finally she felt whole again.

There was only a sliver of mischief in their Bond before two invisible hands cupped her breasts and started massaging. Throwing her head back, she arched her back into the feeling. The addition of the feeling to his mouth on her neck and his hands kneading her ass was driving her mad. In retaliation, she drew her nails down his back, nicking a couple of his scars, knowing how he liked the feeling of pain.

Kylo growled. Opening her eyes, Rey stared into his unfathomable dark ones. They showed a steely glint that made her grin widely and dangerously in response. He pulled her against him, walked over to their bedroom, and threw her on the bed. Force bonds immediately followed, but she knew him too well. When he pounced on her, she swiftly moved to the side, gave him a mental shove, and pinned him down instead. Rey grabbed a handful of his hair and forced his head back.

"Did you think you could catch me, Ren?" She bit his lower lip before meeting his tongue with her own. Her nails drew fiery lines over his shoulders.

"Do you really believe you have conquered me, Scavenger?" he retaliated.

He broke free of her bonds, but she quickly jumped away. Kicks and blows were dealt as they playfully fought in the room. The Force whirled around them wildly, obliterating furniture and causing the resulting chunks to swirl through the air. Rey felt invigorated, her blood was burning and coursing through her veins. She wanted him, but never would she give into him _that_ easily.

Finally, Kylo caught Rey around the waist, both her hands firmly into one of his.

"You are mine!" he growled possessively.

He bit down hard on her shoulder and Rey cried out in delight. She knew he could crush her in an instant if he wanted to and the feeling turned her on. His broad chest was pressed firmly against her back while his free hand roamed lower. He roughly shoved two fingers in her pussy, causing her to groan.

"Yes!"

He picked her up and once more threw her on the bed. This time, Rey didn't fight back when he crawled on top of her. He positioned himself and plunged inside her. Rey wrapped her arms around him and lifted her hips to meet him as he hit home. Kylo started fucking her mercilessly — hard, long, almost brutal movements that had her keening and scratching his back raw.

Their mouths crashed together and their tongues clashed in a battle for dominance — which Rey knew he would win. They were equals in everything, except here, except when he made her moan and groan, except when he was pounding into her as if he was possessed. She revelled in it, for she knew that even in her allowing him, she held power. Never would he stray, never would he leave her. She was his everything, and denying him would be his death.

Rey grabbed a handful of his hair and slightly pulled his head back, licking his Adam's apple. "Close, so close," she moaned.

He growled in response, shaking his head to free himself from her grip and pinning her hands down. Opening their Bond even further, she could feel him and he could feel her. Losing themselves in the sensations, they plunged over the edged and shared their ecstasy. Both moaned loudly as their bodies spasmed, their orgasms strong and all-consuming.

Afterwards, the Supreme Leader and his queen rested on their bed, immune to the wreckage around them. They discussed politics and military tactics, for they were the rulers of the Galaxy and none could ever stand in their way.


	10. Bad boy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 20160416 - [Bad Boy](http://sparklepoodles.tumblr.com/post/171246278979/at-the-hospital-reylo-au)
> 
> Gif at the bottom, on the left. A crying Daisy and Adam being hit by a car.
> 
> Tags: Major character death; Dark; signs of (mental) abuse (but apparently too subtle to be noticed, still adding to be sure XD); this might make you cry

She was drawn to him as soon as he walked into the bar. Long and with broad shoulders, he had an imposing presence. His hair was shoulder length, he was wearing a black, leather jacket, and his gait was confident. Rey figured he merely missed a cigarette between his sinful lips to complete the bad-boy picture.

Continuing cleaning the glasses, she eyed him as he walked over to the bar and slumped down on a stool. A single finger demanded her attention. Drying her hands, she went up to him.

"One scotch," he murmured.

A shiver went down Rey's spine — a  voice like that should be forbidden. She smiled playfully. "Can I see your ID?"

He glanced up at her. "And why would you need my ID?" he questioned.

"To know your name, of course."

Lifting his head, he fully looked at her. Rey blinked, caught like a deer in headlights by his dark eyes. Never had she seen such expressive, almost black eyes. She unconsciously licked her lips.

"The name on my ID is not my name."

"Ooh," Rey teased, "a fake ID then?"

He glared at her and she felt her face pale and her knickers dampen.

"One scotch," he repeated in a tone that had her scurrying away.

Oh, he definitely was interesting. Dangerous even. Rey breathed through her nose to get her excitement in check. When she offered him the scotch he drowned it in one go, immediately demanding a second one.

"So," Rey ventured carefully while pouring his second drink, "if your ID does not show your name, then what is it?"

He sipped the glass. "Kylo Ren."

His answer was definite, an order to get out of his way. Rey sighed and backed off. _Not this time,_ she thought to herself. Still, she could not prevent herself from eyeing him throughout her shift. There was just something about him.

"When do you get off?" he suddenly asked when she was back to washing glasses.

"Two," she answered.

He grunted in response and ordered another drink. Rey did not know what to think of him. Ever since his question, his eyes never left her. They were almost scorching in their intensity. He grabbed his jacket when she signalled she was finished for the day.

"Meet me out front?" she asked, still not entirely sure about his intentions but not wanting to risk losing him. "I have to go out the back."

He nodded and she disappeared to the backroom to grab her jacket and keys. When she walked out into the alley, a hand grabbed her and roughly pushed her against the wall. Kylo was hovering over her, his hands planted next to her shoulders and effectively caging her in. Rey's breath hitched, her heart hammering and her insides clenching in anticipation.

He narrowed his eyes slightly before crashing his mouth on hers. They kissed passionately, after which Rey allowed him to walk her home. He didn't even await her invitation before walking into her small flat. Again, she was pushed against a wall. His passion consumed her. The sex was rough, hard, and Kylo unashamedly left bruises all over her body. Afterwards, Rey was unsure how to feel about that, but the danger he exuded drew her in like a bug to a candle.

She couldn't decide whether or not she was surprised to see him walk into the bar the next week. This time, he stayed the night. Waking up next to his large frame, his arms wrapped around her, felt blissful.

"What's your name?" he had murmured once he had noticed she was awake.

"Rey."

"Rey," he whispered in response, before once more laying claim on her body.

He inserted himself easily in her life — after a week, he stayed at her flat while she worked her shift at the bar, another morning brought an extra toothbrush. Rey learned how to hide the more visible bruises with make-up. How does one explain the roughness of their nights? Theirs was a strange relationship — if  it could even be called that — but  he was magnetic and she couldn't help herself.

"Let's go for a ride," he drawled one evening, having spent the last two hours of her shift at the bar.

Rey readily agreed, even though she felt like he was on edge. It wasn't too strange about him though, his moods could only be described as volatile. He was dark and seductive; so what if he had a bit of a temper?

She had seen his car before, but had never joined him on a drive. Everything she needed was well within walking distance, and he never took her to his flat. She realised she wasn't even sure where he lived. Shrugging, she lowered herself into the black, sleek looking car. The interior showed that the car had seen better days.

Kylo grinned at her as he lowered himself into the driver's seat. With sure movements, he started the car and drove out of the city. They did not talk, Rey was content to listen the engine hum and to watch Kylo drive. When they hit the freeway, Kylo started pulling up. Rey watched the lights flash by until she started feeling uneasy.

"Kylo, would you mind slowing down a bit?"

"Why?" he asked. "Don't you trust me?"

She glanced at the speedometer. He was well beyond the speed limit.

"Kylo, please, this is madness!"

He didn't respond, merely sped up even more — racing  over the freeway and only barely evading the traffic. Getting truly frightened by his behaviour, Rey started yelling at him, screeching his name and pleading him to stop, to slow down. He merely laughed, wildly and completely unconcerned. Beside herself from fear, Rey resorted to her last means.

"Ben! Stop!"

His head snapped in her direction as his foot aggressively slammed down on the breaks. "How do you know that name?" he roared. "How dare you use it to address me?"

Rey couldn't help but cower under the onslaught of his voice, his angry words. Tears were freely streaming down her face. As soon as he stopped the car on the side of the road, she unbuckled her seatbelt and scrambled out. Not knowing what else to do but to get as far away from him as possible, as quickly as possible, she started walking back from where they came.

She flinched as a car door slammed shut behind her. His shouted 'Rey!' made her gasp. He was dangerous, unstable; she had always known but never wanted to acknowledge it. His hand roughly grabbed her wrist and forced her to turn towards him.

"How do you know that wretched name?" he bellowed at her, looming over her like a dark menace.

Rey tried to free herself from his grasp, but he refused to let her go. "You're hurting me," she whispered, hating how small her voice sounded.

"HOW DO YOU KNOW?" He shook her violently.

"I- I was curious. I checked your ID a couple days back while you were asleep. I'm sorry."

He pushed her away, causing her to stumble and almost fall.

"How dare you!" he raged. "How dare you go through my stuff? You're nothing but a pathetic excuse for a woman, a nothing! Just a good fuck, that's all!"

The words stung Rey more than they should have. They fuelled her own rage. "How dare I?" she shouted straight back. "What did you think you were doing? Racing through traffic like that? Ignoring me? Do you know how many bruises I end up with after we have sex? You are nothing but a monster!"

His head whipped her way. "A monster?" he whispered, before bursting out in maniacal laughter. "A monster?" he laughed.

Rey took a cautionary step back, more tears streaming down her face as she watched Kylo descend into madness.

He tilted his head at her, his eyes no longer sane. “A monster," he said for the third time. "I wonder if that's better or worse than a freak?"

"Kylo?" Rey said, trying to calm him down. "Please, Kylo, I didn't mean it like that."

"But you did, didn't you? You condemn me! I can see how you look at me now, like I'm nothing but Darkness. An evil, coiling wraith of dangerous darkness." He let out another chilling laugh. "Well then, why would you even need me in your life? Here I was, thinking you might have cared about me."

"But I do!" Rey cried out.

Kylo was oblivious to her words. "What would you need a monster for?" he growled, stepping out on the freeway. "What would you care what happened to me?"

"Kylo!" Rey pleaded. "Please! Please don't do this! Come back! Please come back here! I was wrong, I'm sorry, I was wrong!"

Only the sound of screeching tires warned her for what was to come. With a resounding impact, a small van hit Kylo in the side, hurling him down the street where he landed with a sickening crunch.

"KYLO!"

Rey screamed, his name alternating with wretched sounds of anguish. She ran to his limp form, pleading him to move, to do anything, even shout at her again. When she kneeled down beside him, another scream ripped itself out of her when she realised she was too late.

His once expressive eyes now stared soulless into the night.

 


	11. Goosechase

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 20180423 - [Artist Tumblr - BoomDaFunk](http://boomdafunk.tumblr.com/)  
> It's a drawing of a sleeping Kylo Ren with Rey leaning over him and giving him a kiss on the cheek.

They faced each other, sabers drawn and the scenery eerily reminiscent of their first fight at Starkiller Base — the middle of a forest, the ground covered with snow, not a sound to be heard.

Rey remembered the first time he had reached out through the Bond after Crait. His touch had been gentle, soft, apologetic — like a puppy’s eyes after he chewed on your favourite shoes. She had been unable to remain closed off to him, not when he behaved like that.

“Sorry,” was the only word he had whispered. It had been more a question than a statement and she had huffed in response. Yet, even when he fully retreated after that one word, she had been unable to fully shut him out again.

There was so much conflict in him. Even in her anger she had been able to feel it. Soft brushes of acknowledgement had lead to one-sentence greetings and later small conversations. She had started to trust him again, letting him back in. They were still at opposite sides of a war, but a certain understanding had flowed between them.

That was until, one night, she had suddenly felt the Bond widen and she had been able to feel a sense of direction. The shout of triumph that had accompanied the feeling told her all she needed to know.

Without hesitating, Rey had jumped out of bed and had quickly thrown her most important possessions in a bag. She had sprinted towards the hangar — surprising the few guards on duty —  and jumped into a small one-person craft that was quick yet comfortable to travel in.

Taking off, she had been happy to have spend so much time with Poe, learning about the galaxy and the coordinates of each system. She had selected a nearby one and had set her course. Only when she had been in hyperspace had she taken her time to breathe and mourn.

He had betrayed her! Again! He had used her new-found trust to find a way to locate her through the Bond, to locate the Resistance! She had tried to shut down the Bond but she knew it was already too late — it had grown too strong. All she could do was shut out his voice and block her emotions.

And so, the wild goosechase had begun.

When she had touched ground at the first planet, she had send a short message to Leia, explaining the situation. When she had been sure it was received, she had shut down the craft’s beacon.

Each time she had felt him close in, she left, moving to another system, another planet, and evading the First Order’s Supreme Leader. Why he wanted to find her so badly, she had no idea. It was not like she could return to the Resistance; she was a liability now. He had taken everything from her.

And now, he had caught up. Somehow, he had managed to sneak up on her while she slept. The moment she had felt his ship land, it had been too late. She had run into the forest, hoping to put some distance between them, but even as she ran she knew it was no use.

They were staring at each other from a distance; their breaths ghosting in the cold air. Their sabers were casting eery light around them, creating erratic shadows. Rey narrowed her eyes as his stance wavered, the tip of his saber dipping marginally. She growled as he reached out through the Bond.

“Please.”

How it slipped through her defence, she didn’t know, but it took her by surprise. It had that puppy-eye feeling again; and the man standing in front of her was worrying his lips with what seemed uncertainty. Reluctantly, she opened their connection.

“Please, Rey,” he whispered. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

She snorted. “I find that hard to believe, given your tendency to betray me, Kylo Ren,” she said out loud.

His entire posture crumbled at her words, his saber touching the ground and causing the snow to vaporise with a hiss, his eyes cast downwards and his hair a curtain to shield him from her.

“I deserved that,” he answered, pain evident in his voice. When he looked up, Rey was shocked by the turmoil in his eyes. “I don’t want to fight you,” he whispered. “I really don’t want to do this.” Yet, despite his words, his grip around his saber tightened.

Rey couldn’t help but feel for him. Without realising, she let her own saber touch the ground, letting it draw a line of molten snow behind her as she walked up to him. He tensed, wary, but she merely lifted her free hand to cup his cheek.

“Oh, Ben,” she sighed, studying him. “Neither do I. And you don’t have to.”

“But I do! I do!” he cried out.

She let her hand slip to the back of his neck, forcing him to look at her. “No,” she answered him. When he didn’t answer and merely stared at her with haunted eyes, Rey dropped her saber and wrapped her arms around him. “No, you don’t,” she repeated.

With a broken sound — not quite a sob, not quite a wail — he dropped his own weapon and returned her embrace.

“Why did you shut me out? Why did you start running away?” he questioned.

Rey stiffened. “You betrayed me! You used the Bond to find me, to find the Resistance!” She wanted to step back, but this time it was Ben refusing to let go.

“You thought I betrayed you?”

“Well, you did!”

“No! No! Yes, I was trying to widen the Bond, but only because I wanted to show you my surroundings. It was only later when I realised I could locate you. At that point, you were already moving.”

“Then why follow me like this? Why hunt me down?”

“I— “ Ben swallowed. “I didn’t want to lose you,” he finally mumbled, barely audible. “I was losing you.”

Rey could feel the shiver that ran down his back at his own words. She did not know what to say, did not know what to think, until he connected through their Bond again. He opened his mind completely and his feelings poured over and around hers.

There was desperation, alongside hope and calmness. There was anger and fear, but also tenderness and an urge to protect. Most of all, she felt his need to be with her, to make sure she was proud of him, to love her.

It was almost too much.

She stepped back and gazed up at him, taking hold of his hand. “Come on, let’s head to the cave I’m currently occupying.”

It took him a moment to comprehend her words. When he finally nodded, she picked up her saber and gently lead him back. Underneath all the overwhelming emotions, she had felt an endless weariness. He was tired of it all.

Arriving, she used the Force to rekindle the fire and then lead him to her cot in the corner.

“Rey…”

“Hush,” she told him.

He was abnormally complacent, as if all fight had left him. He moved like a man who didn’t know right from left anymore, whose world had been turned upside down. Rey pushed him unto the cot, covering him with a thin blanket.

“Sleep,” she said, “I’ll be here in the morning.”

The look he gave her was so vulnerable, she reached out to brush his hair from his face.

“I promise,” she added.

With a sigh, he closed his eyes and promptly fell asleep. Rey leaned over him and kissed his cheek.

“I love you too, Ben. We’ll figure this out.”

 


	12. Unwilling Servitude

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 20180430 - [Unwilling Servitude](http://sparklepoodles.tumblr.com/post/172937142524/i-know-i-can-treat-you-better-reylo-au)  
> Left gif on the third row; Adam walking into a coffee shop in a hoody and Daisy watching him.
> 
> Tags: Crossover; Harry Potter Crossover; Mention of death; Mention of violence

She blinked as he walked into the coffee shop, trying hard not to show the slight panic that settled in her stomach. The cap of his hoodie was pulled up to obscure his face, his eyes turned downwards to avoid recognition.

"A black coffee to go," he ordered at the register, glancing up and giving her a small smile.

"Coming right up!" she answered. "What are you doing here, Ben?" she whispered furiously after she turned on the coffee machine. "You can't just show up here!" After the beep, she capped the to-go coffee and put it down on the counter. "That will be 2,15 please," she continued out loud.

"I need your help," Ben whispered as he handed her the money and accepted the coffee. "Meet me out back."

He turned and walked out of the shop. Rey watched him go, anger and worry fighting for dominance in her heart. With a sigh, she decided to do as he asked. The sooner she talked to him, the sooner he could leave.

"I'm taking my break now, Maz, if you don't mind?"

"Not at all," the little woman said. "Go meet your friend out back."

Rey gulped. Maz was too perceptive for her own good. Going out the backdoor, she found Ben in the alleyway, leaning against the wall and sipping his coffee.

"What the hell are you thinking?" she immediately accosted him. "Showing up like this? You know we can't meet. What if your Death Eater friends see you with me? What if the Order of the Phoenix is following you and they find me? It's not safe! They'll kill us! I don't want to lose you!"

He dropped his empty cup to the ground and wrapped his arms around her. "I missed you," he breathed in her hair.

She couldn't help the tears that escaped her eyes, nor the way she melted in his embrace. "I miss you too," she sobbed. "I hate constantly being away from you, constantly feeling you through our Bond but not being able to see you, touch you. I hate it!"

"I know, Rey, me too."

She suddenly shoved him away. "I saw the underground papers. They say you murdered the entire Weasley clan. Tell me! Tell me it wasn't you!"

The way his face fell was all she needed to know.

"No!" Rey started pounding at his chest. "No! No! How could you! You said you didn't want to go back to this madman when he resurfaced! You said you were done with his teachings, that you were trying to find a way out. How could you! You lied!" She tried to pull away but he grabbed her wrists. "Let me go! How can I trust you?"

"Rey! Rey, please. It wasn't really me! Rey! I was imperiused!"

That made her stop mid-sentence and stare up at him. She didn't know if she could believe him. She wanted to, but it seemed like such an easy excuse.

"I was reluctant to do this. You know I don't want to hurt anybody anymore. You've shown me a way out of that darkness. But they wouldn't take no for an answer so they imperiused me. They said it would 'rekindle my bloodlust'. I'm sorry Rey."

"Can I believe you?"

"You have to! Please, Rey. I can't do this without you. I fought their control over me. Once I managed to break it, it was already too late. I killed Avery and Nott—the ones that accompanied me—and  managed to save the girl. But for the rest," his eyes filled with tears, "it was too late."

"Why don't we just leave?"

"He would find a way to track me. I've been his number one for too long. We've been over this, Rey."

She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him. "I know, I just wish... I'm sorry I doubted you."

Ben buried his nose in her hair. "It's okay. I doubt myself sometimes."

"What happened to Ginny?"

"You know her name?"

"The Weasleys were always friendly to me."

"Oh Force, I'm so, so sorry, Rey."

"It wasn't you, I understand." She sniffed. "It wasn't you."

"The girl is why I need your help, Rey. I can't keep her with me forever. She's lethargic, not talking, not moving unless said so. She needs help. I need you to find a way to get her back to her friends."

"You want me to contact the Order? Have you lost your mind?"

"There's no other way. I certainly can't do it, I would be killed on the spot. Besides, I have to go back, I have no choice."

"But he'll kill you for the deaths of Nott and Avery. You can't go back! You can't!" Rey cupped his head with two hands and pleadingly stared into his eyes. "Please, you can't."

"There is no other way. He won't kill me, he still has hope that I’ll turn back to how I once was."

Rey started sobbing and he pulled her close to his chest. "It is the only way. Perhaps- Perhaps if you bring them the girl, they will listen to you. Perhaps the Order can find us a way out. They won't kill you, they're not like that."

"O- Okay," Rey stuttered, wiping her nose. "Where is Ginny?"

"I left her in an empty apartment a few blocks down. I'll go get her." Ben answered.

"I'll see if I can get the rest of the day off."

"Thank you, Rey."

He leaned forward and gave her a short kiss before abruptly turning and walking out of the alley. Rey sighed and started mulling over excuses to give Maz for needing the rest of the day off. When Rey walked back inside, the little woman was already waiting for her.

"What did the mighty Kylo Ren want from you?"

Rey paled. "Maz? How? You're a Muggle!"

"Well, obviously not." Maz's eyes twinkled. "What did your lover want from you?" Rey moved for the wand in her pocket, the woman knew too much. "Oh, there's no need for wands, my dear. I just want to know why he finally turned up."

"You've been watching me? Waiting for him?"

Panic started bubbling in her chest. Ben was about to return any minute. How could she not have noticed? She had endangered them both.

"Well, yes. Albus always wondered how Death Eater number one managed a Soul Bond with someone as Light as you."

"You know about the Soul Bond?"

"Albus and I know a lot of things, dear."

The sound of a muffled Apparition made Rey flinch. _Please_ , she begged Ben in silence, _please realise something is wrong and leave again._

"He returned?" Maz peered around her to the closed back door. "Why don't you call him inside, Rey?"

She shook her head mutely. Never would she betray him.

"Don't be silly, girl. Don't you think that if I wanted him harmed, this place would already be crawling with Order members? Call him in! It's dangerous for him to be standing there, out in the open!"

Rey hesitated another minute before calling out. The door opened and both Ben and Ginny walked in. Ben's wand was immediately aimed at Maz.

"What's going on, Rey?" he asked, his voice dark and angry.

"Well, isn't this interesting," Maz said, looking from Rey, to Ben, to Ginny.

The redhead listlessly moved her head to the sound of the smaller woman's voice, a glimmer of recognition appearing in the otherwise dead eyes. "Maz?"

 


	13. Lost on Campus

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 20180504 - [Lost on Campus](http://littlechmura.tumblr.com/post/169628764523/fanart-friday-reylo-modern-au-brought-to-you-by-my)
> 
> This weeks artist is an absolute favourite of mine. Her name is LittleChmura and please go check out her tumblr: [LittleChmura](http://littlechmura.tumblr.com/tagged/featured)

Rey felt like screaming. Tech, she could do. Mechanics, that too she could do. But for the life of her, she had never been able to read a map.

“You seem lost.”

She was so caught up in her frustrated attempts to figure out which way the library was that she hadn’t even noticed someone approaching. Startled, she jumped away—dropping her map, turning, and raising her hands in case she had to fend off this stranger.

“Whoa there, little one. I’m not going to assault you, I promise.”

Rey blinked. He was _tall_ , and _handsome_. And he was smiling at her with a bemused sort of look that had her duck her head in embarrassment.

“Yeah, uhm, sorry,” she stuttered, “you, uhm, startled me.”

“Apparently so,” the guy acknowledged.

Rey could feel a blush creeping up her cheeks so she quickly retrieved her map of the campus from the ground and started brushing it free of sand. Anything to not look at him; she didn’t know what to say. She never was any good in social situations.

“So, are you? Lost, that is?”

“Uhm—” She was definitely blushing now. “Kinda?”

His laugh had her blinking up at him again. “A voice like his should be illegal,” she thought, observing him. He was wearing a black turtleneck with a sportive jacket. A brownish-red beanie covered his semi-long, black hair. Rey thought it was a shame; hair like that should be left to hang freely. Hers was too thin to properly frame her face, something she rued often.

“Kinda lost, hmm?” he finally said. “So, can I kinda point you in the right direction?”

“Thank you, that would be, uhm—” Rey grumbled slightly, annoyed by her own stuttering. “That would be wonderful. I’m trying to find the main library.”

“The library? I was heading in the same direction; mind if I walk you there?” He leaned in closer. “I really do promise not to assault you,” he continued with a wink.

“Oh, uhm, I’m sorry.”

He frowned. “For what?”

Rey fidgeted. “For making you walk me and for jumping so badly earlier.”

“You’re strange, little one.”

The twinkle in his eyes was mischievous and Rey couldn’t help but smile at him. “So, whereto?” she asked.

He made a vague gesture with his hand and started walking. “So, what do you study, little one?”

“Engineering. This is my first year. You?”

“I’m doing a doctorate here, art history. But engineering, huh? Aren’t you supposed to be able to read maps?”

“Plans! I can read _plans_ , not _maps_!”

He laughed again. “What’s the difference?”

“There’s loads of difference!” Rey countered. She watched him snicker for a little while longer before asking, “Why do you call me ‘little one’?”

“You are yet to grace me with your name,” he answered teasingly.

“Oh, sorry,” Rey said, blushing again. He rolled his eyes at her. “I’m Rey.”

“Hi, Rey,” he answered, glancing at her. “I’m Ben.”

“Huh!” she exclaimed in response.

“What?”

“Well,” Rey answered tentatively, “I just realized I missed the opportunity to call you ‘tall guy’.”

Much to her delight, he broke out in laughter again. Not long after, they reached an old-looking brick building with grand steps and an out-of-place, modern entrance. Rey frowned.

“Yeah,” Ben supplied. “They called it an ‘upgrade’.”

“Hardly.”

“Indeed. Do you have classes in the afternoon?”

Rey looked up to him, surprised by the question. He suddenly seemed nervous. “No, I merely wanted to get ahead on studying.”

“I see…” There was a short silence. “I have a two hour lecture now, but say I come back here after? I can prevent you from getting ‘kinda’ lost again and guide you to the best coffee on campus?”

She stared at him, her brain not fully registering his words. When he started chewing on the inside of his cheek, Rey blushed and quickly looked at her feet.

“Yes,” she said, hoping she didn’t sound too eager or too nervous. “Yes, I would like that.”

Looking up at him, his brilliant smile made her lose her breath and courage.

“So, uhm, see you later!” she squeaked before dashing into the library—missing Ben’s amused headshake and whispered ‘See you soon, my Rey’.


	14. A Reward for Good Behavior

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 20180514 - [A Reward for Good Behavior](https://jade-belle-2187.tumblr.com/image/161807534433)
> 
> Tags: NSFW; PWP; Smut; Lemons

Rey smiled when they finally got home. Ben immediately took off his shoes and sprawled on the sofa.

“How often will these benefits for your new charity take place again?” he groaned.

“Only once a year,” she answered, taking out her heavy earrings and placing them on a side table. “But then there’s also you mother’s fundraiser, and Luke’s annual—“

“Don’t remind me, you infernal woman!”

Rey laughed at him. “Help me out of this dress, would you?”

“Here? In the living room?”

“The sooner the better!”

She turned her back and, with a sigh, he stood to help her. His fingers brushed her neck before reaching for the small zipper and pulling it down. Rey could tell the exact moment he noticed her undergarments—his breath hitched and his finger halted their slow descent.

“You’ve-“ She heard him swallow. “You’ve been wearing _this_ the entire evening?” he asked, continuing to very slowly draw down the zipper.

“Hmmm.” Rey threw him a coy look over her shoulder. “Do you like it?”

“Like it?” His hands stroked from her lower back, over the see-through fabric and the ribs of her corset, to her shoulders. “You look ravishing,” he whispered in her ear, his voice hoarse.

Almost reverently, Ben pulled the dress off her shoulders, letting it fall to the floor. He groaned as he spotted the lace trim, suspenders, and her lack of panties. With his hands on her waist, he pulled her against him.

“You’ll be the death of me, woman. To think you’ve been sitting next to me, all evening, without panties.”

Humming, she pressed her bum against his erection. When he lowered his lips to her neck, she turned in his embrace, catching his lips. He kissed her demandingly, hot and urgent. Rey eagerly complied, melting against him as he wrapped an arm around her waist and cupped her face with one hand.

Placing her hands against his chest, she gave him a slight push and laughed at his bewildered look. She stepped out of the circle of her dress and pushed him back towards the sofa.

“You’ve been so good, Ben, I thought you might like a little reward?”

The look he sent her made heat pool in her belly. She could feel the moister gather between her thighs. With a final shove, she made him stumble and fall down on the leather seat. Keeping her legs straight, she bend over to place another kiss on his lips.

“Don’t you want to be rewarded, Ben?”

He surged up and clasped a hand behind her neck, pulling her in for another heated kiss. His tongue slipped into her mouth and she moaned at the sensation. With his free hand, he caressed up her thigh, shortly squeezed her bum, and continued along her side until he cupped a breast.

Breaking the kiss, he clasped his mouth over the nipple peeking through the sheer fabric. Rey moaned, burying her hands in his hair to hold him close.

“Force, Ben!” He tried to pull her closer but she braced her hands on his shoulders. “No! No,” Rey exclaimed, pushing him back down into the sofa.

Trailing her fingers over his dress shirt—he had shrugged off his vest sometime during kissing her—she bent to kneel between his legs. Another groan escaped him as she palmed him through his trousers. When he looked at her and she licked her lips, his eyes darkened to onyx.

With deliberate, slow movements, Rey started undoing his belt buckle. When Ben tried to help, she slapped his hands away and tsked. He relented, placing his hands flat on the sofa on either side of his legs. She could see he was practically bursting out of his skin. Burying her face in his crotch, she drew her nose and mouth along the outline of his erection, knowing it would drive him crazy.

“Woman!” he exclaimed, hand falling on her pinned-up hair.

Rey smirked. With her teeth, and without breaking eye contact, she dragged down the zipper of his pants. He bucked against her face.

“Gods, Rey!”

Brushing her hands along his sides, she pulled up his shirt so she could kiss the line of dark hairs from below his navel to the edge of his trousers. Her nimble fingers made quick work of the button before she slipped her hand into his boxers and freed his erection from its confines. Ben let out a sigh of relief.

“Tell me what you want me to do, Ben,” she murmured, blowing a breath over the head. “Do you want me to lick it?”

“Yes! Yes, woman, yes!”

Grinning, Rey drew her tongue from the base of his cock to the tip, causing him to shudder. She twirled around the head once before trailing back down again. She repeated the process a few times, cupping his balls and massaging them.

“What else do you want, Ben? Do you want me to wrap my mouth around your dick, suck on it?”

She took his inarticulate grumbling as a ‘yes’ and did just that. Ben swore violently, again bucking up into her mouth. He gently cupped the back of her head, demanding a rhythm. Rey happily obliged. When she hollowed her cheeks and pulled up, he clawed at the arm of the couch, moaning loudly.

Not wanting him to come yet, she slowed down her ministrations. Wrapping a hand around his length, she moved it up and down leisurely while licking the tip. Her other hand released his balls to slip under his shirt and drag her nails along his abs. He hissed, his eyes flying open. With his mouth slack from pleasure, he stared down at her.

“Come here,” he spoke softly. She shook her head gently, teasing him. “Come here, let me kiss you,” he repeated, taking her left hand and gently pulling her up.

He sat up from his inclined position, slowly kissing her. His tongue traced the seam of her mouth before drawing her lower lip between his teeth and sucking on it. Rey moaned. With a pop, he released her lip and pulled her in to stand closer between his legs. He bit at the soft skin of her stomach before kissing his way down lower.

When he reached her mound, his tongue slid between her lips to lick her clit. With a small cry, Rey threw her head back and instinctively opened her legs. Ben let his fingers slide over her outer lips, dipping between them slowly at her opening.

“So wet,” he murmured against her. “Just from sucking me off. I wonder how wet you’ll become when I return the favour?”

Abruptly, he sunk a finger inside her. Rey gasped and clutched his shoulders, willing her knees not to buckle. Ben wrapped an arm around her thighs, resting a hand on her bum and kneading. He grabbed a suspender and drew it back, allowing it to snap against her flesh as he released it. Rey’s breath hitched.

“You like that, don’t you?” he whispered, looking up her body while his finger slowly started moving in and out of her. “I know you do, little mouse. Shall I do it again?”

Rey realised her ploy was being used against her, but couldn’t help the breathy ‘yes, please’ that escaped her. Once more, he drew back the elastic, releasing it to snap against her flesh at the same moment he added another finger. Rey shuddered and only his strong arm around her legs kept her upright.

“I can tell you want to come. Tell me you want to come and I’ll let you.”

He crooked his fingers, finding that special spot inside her. Rey keened.

“Please.”

“Please, what?”

“Gods, Ben, let me come. Please let me come.”

He hummed against her stomach, kissing lower once more until he reached her clit. He swirled his tongue around it once before licking it at the same, steady rhythm with which be pumped his fingers in and out of her.

Rey groaned. She could feel the tension building, unable to help herself from rocking against his hand and mouth. When he clasped his mouth around her clit, her world exploded. Her knees gave out but Ben caught her, guiding her to sit in his lap, his fingers still buried inside her.

When she finally came down, he pulled them out and offered her to her lips. He stared at her, mesmerized, as she lazily licked them clean. Pulling her closer, he kissed her wildly. His hand roamed her legs and waist until they travelled higher to play with her breasts. Rey moaned. Ben pulled down the fabric, allowing him to roll a naked nipple between his fingers.

Gasping from the pleasure it caused, Rey threw her head back, unable to keep up the kiss. He took advantage of the situation to start kissing and nipping at her neck. Burying a hand in his hair, Rey started pulling at the strands while the nails of her other hand dug into his shoulder. Before long, she was writhing in his lap.

“Too much clothes!” she finally managed to say. “You’re still wearing too much clothes.”

“Am I now?”

“Yes! Yes! Off with the shirt!”

She turned to straddle him, bending down for another kiss while tugging at the buttons of his dress shirt. Chuckling, he helped her. When it was open, he sat up and allowed her to draw it over his shoulders, knowing how she love scraping her nails over his skin in the process.

Rey bend down to kiss his collar bones. “So-“ kiss, “much-“ kiss, “better!”

Her hand wandered down to his erection, pumping it a couple of times. With a smirk, she pushed him against the back of the couch.

“I think we’re neglecting a part of you,” she hummed. He bucked in her hand and she bent low to nibble at his earlobe. “Shall I ride you, Ben Solo?”

His large hands grabbed her waist and pulled her down. Laughing, she braced herself and tutted. “So impatient!”

Ben grumbled. “You keep making me promises, woman!”

“Well then,” she once more wrapped her hand around his reaction, “promises are to be fulfilled, are they not?”

Raising herself, she lined him up to her entrance and ever so slowly sank down. They both moaned at the feeling. When he was fully sheathed, she leaned back and braced her hands on his knees. Ben stared up at her—chewing his lips and silently begging her to move.

Rey smiled and tilted her hips slightly, eliciting a groan from Ben. With a sudden movement, he sat up and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. His mouth found her neck and he started sucking, obviously intent on leaving a mark.

When she tried to pull him away, he merely grumbled. “Mine!” he stated, before returning to his indulgence.

The word caused her to gasp and send a shiver down her spine. No longer able to sit still, Rey started grinding her hips against him, feeling him move inside her. Ben’s mouth travelled to her breasts, sucking on one, then the other nipple, and driving her crazy.

Leaning back—once more placing her hands on his knees—she started moving in earnest, setting a steady rhythm. Ben groaned, losing concentration and falling back into the couch.

“Yes, Rey!”

She threw her head back as his hands started roaming her body – from her knees, over her thighs, along her waist and ribs, up to kneed her breasts, and back down. When his thumb graced her clit, she cried out. Her senses were running wild, electricity seemed to be coursing through her body. He felt so good inside her—even after all these years, she knew she would never tire of him.

“Look at me,” Ben commanded.

Slowing down to tease him, she did as she was told. Narrowing his eyes, he growled at her change of pace. He grabbed her upper legs and drove himself into her. Rey keened as she could feel him hit home with every thrust.

“Look at me!” he repeated. Moaning, she forced her eyes to open. “Rey, my beautiful Rey,” he whispered.

His hands encouraged her to pick up the pace again, and when she obliged, he brushed his fingers through her slit.

“Keep looking at me.” Rey bit her lip and nodded. “You like this, don’t you?” he asked with a rough voice. She shivered again. “You like being on top, being in control, riding me.” She rolled her hips, causing him to stutter. “Gods, you feel so magnificent.”

For a while, nothing was said and only their heavy breathing and the sound of their coupling was heard. When he brushed her clit again, Rey almost lost it.

“Please, Ben. More.”

She didn’t mind his self-satisfied smirk when he started fingering her clit more insistent, faster. There was no stopping the endless moans coming from her mouth. Pleasure was building everywhere. Heat was rising and the tension in her belly rose with it.

“Now, Rey.”

With a groan, she lost rhythm and tumbled over the precipice. One hand held her steady while the other kept rubbing her through her orgasm. Pushing himself up and into her, Ben soon followed, a curse falling from his lips.

Utterly spent and satisfied, Rey fell forward, laying her body flush against his and resting her head on his shoulder. Ben wrapped his arms around her, holding her close and kissing her temple.

“You naughty, naughty girl.” Rey hummed, pleased with herself. “Next time you decide not to wear panties, let me know,” Ben said. “Think of how fun the benefit would have been, the opportunities!”

Rey laughed. “Who’s the one with the dirty mind, hmm?” she teased back.

“I don’t know, you’re the one hiding your dirty little secrets,” he answered. “Perhaps we both need a bath to cleanse ourselves?”

Rey could feel her eyes drooping. “A bad seems nice.”

Tightening his arms around her, Ben stood from the sofa, taking her up with him. Rey pouted as he slipped out of him but nevertheless wrapped her legs around his hips.

“Come, little one,” he whispered against her ear as he moved towards the bathroom. “Let _me_ take care of _you_ now.”


	15. A Mermaid?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 20180521 - [A Mermaid?](http://pixelrey.tumblr.com/post/163273709595/reylo-mermaid-au-requested-by-yurios-nana)  
> It's the gif in the top left corner, where you can see a mermaid and Adam sitting in a boat.
> 
> Tags: Mermaid; Fishermen; Siren

“What ya staring at? Grab the net, would ya?”

Ben blinked and turned towards the rest of the fishing crew. “You- you didn’t see that?” Captain Snoke merely raised an eyebrow so Ben continued. “There was a mermaid.”

“The sun get to ya or something? No such things as mermaids. Now get the net and start haulin’ or I’ll give you a reason for ya hallucinations!”

Scrambling, Ben moved to take position next to Hux. Together with some other members of the crew, they started hauling in the nets filled with fish. It was hard, demanding work, and captain Snoke wasn’t the most pleasant captain to work under; he was eager to punish as soon as things didn’t go exactly the way he wanted.

Still, Ben had little to complain about. He had run away from home with grand dreams in his head and had quickly discovered that the world wasn’t as obliging as he had imagined it. By the time Snoke had stumbled upon him and offered him a job on his ship, Ben was starved and running a fever.

Ben’s mind returned to the present as Hux jabbed him in the ribs after the nets were hauled. “A mermaid, Ben?” The rest of the crew jeered. “Been drinking too much lately?”

“Must have been a bird or something,” Ben mumbled, trying to get the attention away from him.

Despite his words, he couldn’t get the image of the woman out of his mind. He was sure of what he had seen. After years on the water, there was no way he would mistake anything for a mermaid. He ignored the crew’s comments and continued with his work; they would get over it soon enough.

When they arrived back at port and they went out for a drink, Ben excused himself, claiming to want to lie down.

“He’s going to dream of his pretty little mermaid,” one of the men sniggered.

“Perhaps she’ll overlook his big ears and want something to do with him,” another followed suit.

“You ok?” Hux asked him more quietly.

“Yeah,” Ben answered, gesturing vaguely towards the rest of the crew, “just don’t want to deal with … that.”

Hux eyed the men laughing and jibing on their way to the pub. “Gotcha, see ya tomorrow then.” He turned and followed the crew.

Ben sighed and went the other way. He was going to have a lie down, he hadn’t lied about that, but he was also planning to get back out to sea as soon as it was dark enough to leave unnoticed. He knew what he had seen and he vowed to find her.

He woke up from his sleep at the sound of the – now very drunk – men returning to their homes. Putting on his darkest clothes, he stepped out of the door and sneaked his way towards his skiff. The sea was calm and the sky clear, so he had high hopes not to getting caught in bad weather.

As quietly as he could, he rowed himself out of the harbour and towards the area where he had seen the mermaid. His arms and back burned, but he didn’t desist. Once he got there, however, he felt foolish. He didn’t have a plan, no idea what to do but sit there in his boat, hoping she would show up once more on exactly the same place at the same moment he was waiting there. Even he had to admit that the odds were stacked highly against him.

Shrugging, he decided to stay – he needed a rest and now that he had arrived, he could just as well test his luck. He made himself comfortable against the tip of his skiff, using some blankets and tarp. The moon was almost full and bright, while the night was quiet except for the soft sounds of the water against the hull. He was certain he would spot her should she show up again.

Apparently having fallen asleep again, Ben woke to an eerie but incomprehensively beautiful voice floating over the water. Someone was singing. He looked all around him, but couldn’t see her – or anything for that matter – near him. Enraptured by the voice, he closed his eyes to listen. After a while, he recognised the tune – it was a sailor’s song often sung by the fishing crews.

For a second time, he tried to locate the source of the beautiful singing. He wanted to go there, find her, and- He didn’t know what exactly, but he HAD to find her. His body swayed on the well-known tune. Eventually, he started humming along.

The singing voice stopped abruptly and a splash was heard.

“No!” Ben cried out. “Don’t go! I won’t harm you, I just- Please don’t go…”

He swore he could feel eyes on him, but he managed to convince himself it was just his imagination. When the singing started again, he couldn’t help a small moan of delight. It sounded so ethereal, like nothing he ever heard before. It also sounded as if it was coming from the water itself. He looked down at the ink-black water, knowing he would see nothing but unable to resist.

Suddenly, his boat dipped on the other side. Turning around wildly, he saw the most beautiful woman he had ever seen leaning on the side of his skiff, right next to the helm. She had stopped singing. Yet, he couldn’t help but stare at her.

“Hi,” he said lamely. “I- I saw you earlier today.”

She tilted her head to the side, not responding. Her wet hair was plastered against her skin. It was hard to tell in the moonlight, but he guessed it to be brown. Her somewhat square face was dominated by a pair of large eyes, her mouth was curled into a half-smile.

“I’m Ben, Ben Solo,” he tried again.

“Ben Solo,” she repeated.

Her voice sounded like heaven, the most beautiful sound he had ever heard. His hated name suddenly became something to be cherished. Without realising it, he moved closer to her.

“What’s yours?” he asked. “Do you even have a name?”

She laughed at that. Ben figured that was how the stars would sound if he could hear them, twinkling, tinkling. He moved even closer, leaning down to watch her, study her. He could now see the webs between her fingers and the scattered scales over her shoulders.

“Rey,” she said. “My name is Rey. Do you like that, Ben Solo?”

“Yes,” he gushed, “yes, very much!”

“And do you like me? Do you think I’m beautiful?”

“Yes, you’re- you’re-” He suddenly hated his own stuttering, the fact that he never seemed able to find the right words, and he frowned.

Rey reached out a finger and stroked at the frown marring his forehead. “I believe you, I can see it in your eyes.”

“Can you?” he heard how hopeful his voice sounded, yet he couldn’t find it in himself to care. This creature, this beautiful woman, had just touched him. Better yet, her fingers kept tracing the contours of his face, every so now and then going through his hair.

“Hmm,” she murmured. “Are you lonely, Ben?” She rose up from the water, her face coming closer to his.

Ben thought about how the other crew members made fun of him, about how hard Snoke drove them, about how none of the women in town were interested in him because he looked ‘strange’ with his big ears and broad lips.

He chewed his cheek before answering. “Yes.”

“I am too, Ben. But we could keep each other company, couldn’t we? Don’t you want to spend time with me? Become my friend? Become my family?”

Her hand was now cupping his cheek, her face so close he could feel her cool breath skim across his lips. He nodded mutely, unable to take his eyes of her, unable to think of anything but her.

“Can I kiss you, Ben?”

“Please.”

When her lips met his, he felt like he was blissfully drugged. She tasted like the salt of the sea, like the calm after a storm, like the sky reflected in the sea’s water, and like a lover’s embrace. Ben barely noticed the water that first touched his face and then engulfed him. Her lips stayed on his even when his body started fighting the lack of oxygen.

A sharp, ripping pain in his neck caused his eyes to fly open, but he could see nothing in the darkness of the deep sea. He frowned again, but her lips moved against him ever so slightly and he was lost again. Part of him was screaming, sounding alarm bells, telling him he should be dead by now, but he ignored it. She would stay with him, she said they would no longer be lonely, that was all that mattered.

He did panic when her lips left his and he gulped in a big amount of water. She shushed him with sounds that seemed so much like her voice but somehow different. His eyes seemed to clear and the first thing he saw was her beautiful face, her hair weaving in the water.

Ben glanced down, his eyes raking over her scale-covered breasts, her flat stomach, and the blue tail that was lazily moving against the current. His eyes widened, shock settling in, when he observed a second, reddish tail where his legs were supposed to be. He looked back at Rey.

Rey smirked, sharp teeth visible, and laughed. “You are mine now, Ben Solo.”


	16. Raskal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 20180528 - [Raskal](http://heidihastings.tumblr.com/post/169696224528/how-do-you-love-someone-who-is-broken-gently)

As soon as he walked in, she knew something was off. “What happened?” Rey asked without looking up.

“Nothing.”

She gave him an incredulous look.

“Nothing, nothing, really,” Kylo repeated.

“Okay, what did you do?”

“Why do you always assume I did something?”

She looked him up and down. “You do realise your shirt is torn and that you’re bleeding, right?”

He covered the gash with his large hand. “It’s nothing,” he murmured again, avoiding her eyes.

Rey smiled. “Come on, let me take a look at it.”

Reluctantly, he allowed her to lift up his shirt.

“This needs bandaging, Ben.’

“Kylo.”

“Ben.” She smirked at him. “Come on, take off your shirt while I get the bacta.”

When she returned, he was waiting for her in only his trousers. No matter how often she got to see him like this, each and every time, she couldn’t help but ogle him.

Kylo grinned. ‘Weren’t you going to patch me up?”

Rey stuck out her tongue and started applying the bacta patches. Once she was satisfied that she had covered the entire cut, she grabbed the bandage, frowning when it fell short of wrapping up the entire wound.

“You’re so bulky, these bandages aren’t made for men like you,” she commented with a wink.

He grunted in response. Shaking her head at his sullen behaviour, she continued treating the wound, brushing her hands over his chest once finished.

“Will you tell me what happened?”

He looked away from her and pouted. Rey thought it was the most adorable expression ever. Raising herself on her tiptoes, she kissed his chin, burying a hand in his hair to coax his lips to hers. He finally relented and their mouths met in a gentle kiss.

“Please?” she asked sweetly when they broke apart, looking at him with doe eyes.

He sighed and looked away again. “I tried to pet Raskal,” he muttered.

Rey bit the inside of her cheek to prevent herself from smiling. “Raskal?” she finally managed to repeat.

Kylo looked at her, annoyed. “Yes, Raskal. You know, that oversized cat of Phasma?”

Rey merely tilted her head. Of course she knew Raskal. Everybody had been surprised when Phasma had returned from one of her scouting missions with a kitten in her arms. Apparently, they had found the small cat next to its dead mother, trying to protect it, and Phasma had promptly decided to adopt it.

The little thing had grown to roughly the size of a puma, with mottled, short fur, saber teeth, and razor-sharp claws. She and Phasma were inseparable. Up until now, Kylo hadn’t want anything to do with the cat, but Rey had seen his looks.

“Did you ask Phasma to introduce you?”

He grunted something under his breath.

“What?” she questioned, even though she already knew the answer.

“No,” he said, sounding petulant.

“You know Raskal doesn’t let anybody near her unless they’re introduced by Phasma.” Kylo shrugged. Rey grabbed his hand. “Come on, we’ll just ask her.”

She nearly dislocated her shoulder when Kylo refused to budge. He glared at her.

“What?” Rey asked.

“I am the leader of the United Galaxy, I do not pet cats.”

She walked back to him, poking his chest. “But you want to,” she teased him.

He turned away from her, his shoulders stiff.

“Come on, Ben,” she spoke softly, rubbing his arm, “I was just teasing.” He didn’t respond, his posture turning stiff. “Ben?” Rey tried again. “What is this really about?” A little twitch told her she was on the right path. “Ben?”

His shoulders slumped and he started moving his mouth in agitation

“You know you can tell me,” Rey coaxed again.

“It’s ridiculous.”

“I don’t care.”

He glanced at her before once more looking away. “What- What if Raskal doesn’t like me even after Phasma has introduced me?”

“Oh Ben.” She hugged him around the waist, mindful of his new bandages. “I’m sure Raskal will love you. You’ll make a great play partner. At least you won’t fall over merely from having her rub her head against your legs.” Rey was gratified to see a small smile appear around Kylo’s lips.

“You did seem rather cosy last time Raskal decided to use you as a mattress; only your feet and head were poking out.”

Rey lightly punched his chest. “Stop laughing! She’s heavy.”

When Kylo sobered again, Rey touched his face. “Let me see if I can find both Phasma and Raskal, and bring them here, okay?”

When he nodded, she gave him a peck on the cheek and took off. She found Raskal in Phasma’s quarters and a ‘Where’s Phasma? Go find her.’ later, Rey was following the cat through the compound. She had helped raise the kitten when Phasma was out on missions so the cat tended to listen to her — whenever Raskal was in the mood for it, of course.

When the cat dipped through her front legs, her tail swishing in the air, Rey knew they had found Phasma within the group marching in front of them. It was uncanny how the woman was attuned to her pet’s presence, turning at the last minute to foil it’s playful attack.

“Miss Rey,” the commander greated.

“For the so-manieth time, Phasma, stop calling me Miss!” Rey protested.

“You are our leader’s partner, so I will call you Miss. Hopefully it will one day turn into Madame Ren, or Solo, whichever he prefers by then.”

Rey rolled her eyes. It was an oft repeated change of words, always said in good nature. “Can we talk in private?” she asked.

Phasma frowned but nodded. She commanded the Troopers to continue on and turned to Rey. “What can I help you with?”

“Ben wants to meet Raskal but he’s … worried about it. Would you mind coming to our quarters to introduce him?”

Rey could tell Phasma was fighting an amused grin.

“Of course,” the woman said, gesturing for Rey to lead the way.

“Just … don’t tease him about it,” Rey asked.

“I won’t.”

When they arrived back at their quarters, Rey went to stand beside Kylo. She could feel how tense he was, despite his neutral façade. Knowing he wouldn’t want any emotional display with Phasma present, Rey merely let her fingers brush his in a sign of support.

Raskal was sniffing around their quarters but came to sit next to Phasma when she called. The big cat stared at Kylo.

“Hold out your hand,” Phasma requested before turning towards her pet. “This is our leader, Kylo Ren, he’s friendly.” She stuttered on her last word, glancing at Kylo to see if he would mind. However, there was no response from him, he merely stared back at the cat.

Raskal leaned forward and sniffed Kylo’s hand. Rey could feel his violent reaction through their bond as the cat turned its back on him, even though physically, he hardly moved. She threw a worried glance at Phasma, who was frowning at her pet. The commander's eyes widened as she realised the cat’s intentions a split second before it happened.

“Raskal!”

In one, swift movement, the cat turned, crouched and pounced at Kylo — knocking him flat on his back. Phasma lunged forward to help but stopped as she noticed Raskal alternating between furiously rubbing her head against Kylo’s and kneading his chest with her paws. The cat then rolled to her side, pawing at Kylo’s hand when he didn’t deliver on the implied demand for belly rubs.

The slightly panicked and bewildered look on Kylo’s face morphed into one of utter elation. Clearly having forgotten his surroundings, he started laughing happily. Wrapping his arms around Raskal, he gave her all the belly rubs and ear scratches the cat could ever want. The sheer joy on his face made Rey’s heart ache with happiness.

Phasma moved to stand next to Rey. “I need to return to my troops.”

Rey nodded. “Phasma-”

“I won’t tell a soul,” the commander interrupted.

“Thank you.”

Rey watched Phasma walk out the door before returning her eyes to Kylo and Raskal. She shook her head with mirth as she noticed that the cuddling had turned into a wrestling match.

Kylo Ren might be a big and fearsome leader, but Rey knew that deep inside he still was — and always would be — a young boy named Ben Solo.

 


	17. A Wedding?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 20180611 - [A Wedding?](http://lilithsaur.tumblr.com/image/174779509373)
> 
> For those who have noticed that week 20180604 is missing: That drabble turned into a separate one-shot called Unamiable and Enticing, based on Jane Austen's 'Pride and Prejudice'. Go check it out if you want :)

“I now pronounce you husband and wife, you may kiss the bride.”

Kylo turned to look at Rey. He looked at the soft curls that framed her face, her brown, doe eyes, the smile that graced her lips, and the open, loving expression on her face.

“Fucking make it look real,” she snarled at him through the Bond.

He wordlessly snarled back, lifting his hand to gently touch her cheek before it snaked around her waist. Her arm came up and around his neck as he bend down to plant a soft kiss on her lips. 

She all but melted against him, her free hand that held the bouquet hanging loosely by her side. He thought she was overdoing it, but the people at the ceremony seemed to buy right into it — ooh-ing and ah-ing at the pair of them. He hated it.

When they finally straightened again, they turned to face the crowd. Leia Organa was sitting in the front row, grinning smugly. He resisted the urge to glower at her. Instead, he gently took hold of Rey’s hand and guided her down the aisle and towards the balcony where they would great the waiting crowd.

As soon as they were out of sight of any onlookers, they released hands and stepped away from each other.

“Did you really have to kiss me that long?” Rey snapped at him. “A peck would have done just fine.”

“Says the one who all but swooned in response. Weren’t you laying it on a little thick?”

“Well, it has to fit the story, doesn’t it?”

“Exactly, Scavenger, it has to.”

She grumbled under her breath but didn’t retort. He didn’t know why he had kissed her for so long. He didn’t care to think about it; it was all for show, nothing more.

When they neared the balcony, they grudgingly took each other’s hand again, molding their faces into happy smiles. A herald greeted them and stepped through the heavy curtain.

“Citizens of the Galaxy! I present to you, Mister and Missus Ren-Solo!”

Kylo smirked at the name. It was a compromise he had made. He absolutely refused to give up his Kylo Ren persona and return to being Ben Solo, yet, Ben Solo was needed to paint the lovely picture Leia Organa had concocted. He knew it irked Rey, which only made him happier.

Together, they stepped out on the balcony and were greeted by the deafening roar of cheering people. He gave the crowds a curt nod, before intending to turn back and walk away. Public displays were not part of the deal.

Rey gripped his hand tighter and refused to budge. “Oh, no you don’t,” she told him gleefully over their Bond. “Smile and wave, Benny-boy, smile and wave.”

Kylo stiffened. His large hand engulfed hers and he squeezed until it must have hurt. She would pay for that one! He wanted to Force-strangle her, to fight her with his saber until she was so damned tired she had to give up. He would show her! Her smile grew even wider, as if she knew exactly what was going through his mind.

After what could not have been longer than ten minutes but felt like hours to him, they finally turned to step away from their spotlight and the roaring crowd. As their eyes adjusted to the darker interior, they spotted Leia in the far corner of the room.

The general clapped her hands. “Now off you go to the dinner party,” she said. “And when we have eaten, you two grace us with a beautiful opening dance. Yes, it will be perfect! You know, to really cement this alliance, you should start thinking about babies.”

“Leia!” Rey protested at the same time Kylo shouted ‘Hell no, woman!” They looked at each other, finally agreeing on something.

Since they were alone, Kylo did not hold back on the snear he send his mother. Naming her was still a difficulty in his head. He’d rather not call her ‘mother’ or any variant of it, nor did he want to call her by her first name. He definitely wasn’t going to start calling her ‘general’ either. For the time being, he referred to her indirectly or by ‘that woman’. It suited him fine.

He gritted his teeth as he remembered the plan he had been lured into. With the First Order and the Resistance fighting over planets and constellations, war had long reigned through the Galaxy. After the debacle at Crait, Rey had shunned him completely, seeing him as nothing more than the monster she had called him in the early days of their connection.

The war, however, was leading nowhere and causing nothing but damage. Both parties realised they could not continue any longer. A secret meeting was set up and plans were discussed. It took them well over another year before they managed to reach an agreement.

Rumors were spread that the two Force wielders had fallen into a tragic love, stuck on opposite sides of a war but connected through a bond nobody could break. Both Kylo and Rey had rolled their eyes at the idea, both knowing very well how unbreakable the damned Bond was an how much they wanted to be rid of it.

Not long after, more rumors found their way throughout the Galaxy. The lovers were tired of fighting, they were proposing an alliance. Hope spread, because what would both parties do without their main fighters? 

Then, the final rumor was set free: There was to be a wedding, and with it, the signing of an alliance. The war would be over.

Rey and Kylo had reluctantly agreed with it; snapping at each other and fighting in private, putting on smiling faces in public. It had done the trick, the ruse had been set, and now they were a married couple, pretending to be in seventh heaven.

Sighing, they both forced their well-practiced smiles on their faces and entered the reception hall. They would mingle with the elite, present a united front, and feed each other tidbits of the buffet. The idea almost made Kylo gag. After what seemed like another eternity, the host called to clear the dance floor.

“Don’t you dare embarrass me, Dark Menace,”

“As if! You better watch your own steps, Sandrat!”

They had perfected the duality between their public presentation and their Bond conversation to an art. Kylo gracefully twirled Rey around before catching her in his arms. Soft music started to play and he guided her around the floor in a slow dance.

Just like when they had practiced, he noticed how she fit right under his chin. She was light as a feather when he picked her up when the dance required it and she was elegant in her steps. 

He wondered what perfume she was wearing and buried his nose in her hair to get a better wiff. Rey sighed, putting her head on his shoulder. He didn’t question it, merely pulling her closer and continuing the dance.

When the music ended, he stopped them. Rey looked up to him with slightly dazed eyes. On impulse, he cupped her face and gave her a gentle kiss. He knew the exact moment Rey regained her senses.

“What the bloody fuck do you think you’re doing?”

“Image, Desert Cat, image!”

Stepping off the dance floor, they both returned to their pretending.


	18. Undercover

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 20180618 - [Artist page](http://ellensama.tumblr.com) \- [Undercover](https://78.media.tumblr.com/9806d42ccc5b9bdb60ca8bf2ad9b5a54/tumblr_p2r0w8qQt31qaohcmo5_r1_1280.jpg)

“I’m going undercover.”

“Uhm, excuse me? Sir?”

Kylo turned his head slightly in the direction of one of his aids. “I said, I am going undercover.”

“Undercover, sir?”

“As a mechanic, I think. Get me an outfit.”

“What???”

Kylo narrowed his eyes and clenched a fist. “Do I have to repeat myself?”

“No! No! Of course not!” the man hurried to assure him. “A mechanic’s outfit. Coming right away, sir!”

xXxXxXx

“And you are?”

“Matt.” Kylo tried not to anger at the doubtful way the woman was looking him up and down.

“Matt _what_?”

“Matt, just Matt,” he replied impatiently.

“Okay, Matt just Matt,” the woman said. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m here for work.” What did she want him to say?

“No kidding,” the woman replied with an eye roll. “And your speciality is?”

Kylo stared at her. Speciality? “Uhm… Radars?”

She laughed at him. “You don’t sound too sure about that, Matt just Matt.”

He narrowed her eyes at her. She dared to laugh? She dared laugh at _him_? It took him a lot of willpower to not shout at her or have her killed for the audacity; he was pretending to be one of the workers after all.

He seized her up. She was a petite woman, with brown hair in a strange three-bun updo. Her vest with tools was laying on the ground next to the engine she was working on; the arms of her overall were tied around her waist, revealing the standard issued white shirt underneath. He couldn’t help but think she looked kinda cute, if it wasn’t for her grease-covered hands.

“Well, Mister Radar Technician, there’s been a glitch in the radar cable somewhere in the corridor between sector 25a and 25b. Go see if you can find it.” She turned back to her engine.

“Who are you to tell me what to do?” Kylo snapped.

Turning her head, she raised an eyebrow at him. “You’re boss, sassy pants. What are you, new?”

Kylo swallowed his anger. “In fact, I am,” he said, tilting his chin up.

She sighed. “RF52!” she yelled. A droid came to life and rolled its way to them. “Show the new guy here the way to sector 25a.” Without so much as another glance at him, she started tweaking on the engine again.

Kylo ground his teeth together, unused to being treated so callously. “Can I at least have your name?” he ground out.

“Rey, Rey of Jakku. Now stop loitering about and go fix that cable!”

xXxXxXx

How Kylo had prevented himself from killing people that first day, he did not know. The audacity of some people! Kicking his tools without apologising, bumping into him when half his body was buried in a maintenance shaft, addressing him with disrespectful names; it was a nightmare. The fact that he had no clue what he was doing didn’t really help much either.

At lunch, he had been astounded by the behaviour of the other technicians. Their casual, amicable behaviour ground on his nerves. Who did they think they were? The food they were fed was downright disgusting. When he asked the others about it, they had all stared at him like he was crazy, claiming it tasted pretty good.

Despite the horrible day and his many misgivings, he found himself reporting back to his ‘boss’ the next day. She was tinkering with a droid and fixing its antenna when he arrived. There was a slight pause as she eyed him up and down.

“RF52!” she yelled again before turning to him. “The cables and gear in sector 67 are due for a check-up.”

Kylo felt slightly disappointed as Rey returned her attention to the orange and white droid, carefully cleaning up its round head and murmuring something to it. The droid gave a couple of surprised beeps, tilting to the side to look past her legs towards him. Rey admonishingly tapped it on its side, before stealing a glance at him over her shoulder.

Not knowing what to think of the exchange, Kylo turned and trotted away, following his guide to whatever section of his ship that was labelled ‘sector 67’.

His days continued in as much misery as the first. His temper was constantly erupting and he knew he was only barely holding on to his cover. Part of him wondered why he was still maintaining the ruse. What did he hope to learn from it? Yet, another part of him kept looking forward to the short conversations he had with his ‘boss’ every morning.

On his third day, it seemed like Rey of Jakku had regained the mocking, teasing attitude she had showed him on the first day. When he had asked her where she came from, she had laughed him right in the face.

“Of Jakku,” she had hiccupped, “it’s, like, in my name, Matt just Matt. _Of Jakku_.”

It had made him feel like an idiot. He did love the sound of her laughter, so he had decided to try and make her laugh more often. People didn’t often dare laugh in his presence; that she had done so freely felt like a weight lifting from his shoulders.

On day seven, he came to the conclusion that he found her fascinating. She was vibrant and energetic. The droids seemed to love her, especially the white and orange one. One day, it had followed him around the entire day, making him feel like he was being spied on. It was only the fact that Rey seemed to love it so much – and the fact that it had helped him with the cables, even though Kylo still had no clue what he was doing – that had prevented him from shutting the droid down.

After two weeks, his advisors and aides started to protest; muttering and complaining about his lack of interest and diligence for his actual job. He paid them no mind. They all knew what would happen if they actually voiced their complaints to his face.

On day sixteen, he once more walked into Rey’s hangar, sporting a half smile.

She looked at him pensively while cleaning her hands. “Why are you doing this?” she asked.

Kylo blinked at her, confused. “Do what?”

“Pretend to be a Radar Technician, Matt just Matt. I know you aren’t. In all honesty, I have to send another technician after you to clean up the mess you inadvertently make. It’s been a pain preventing them from realising that that’s what they’re doing.”

He stiffened at her words. Did she know? Had she figured it out? He had been wondering why she didn’t mention the fact that he never actually fixed something. Not wanting to give away more than she already knew, he refused to answer.

“So? Why do you do it?” she prompted.

Worrying his mouth, he wondered about what to answer. ‘So I can talk to you each and every morning,’ didn’t seem like a great answer to him. But the truth was, he didn’t really know himself. To get away from it all? That seemed like such a juvenile reason. He was Sith, he was better than such petty nonsense.

“You don’t know, do you?” Rey answered for him, cocking her head to the side.

“I do know,” he answered, affronted.

“Sure,” she said, poking him in the chest.

He sucked in a breath in shock. How dare she!

“Force! You’re so stuck up! Like you’ve got a stick up your ass.” She laughed as he glared at her. “So I’m supposed to be intimidated, right? Yeah, good luck with that. What do you want to do, hmm? There are some more relatively harmless cables in sector 47 that you can go mess up. Or would you rather quit this ruse?”

“Do you know who you are talking to?” he demanded, affronted but also confused by her lack of fear for his person.

Rey rolled her eyes at him. “I thought we had already established that I do, Mister Ren,” she mocked. “Matt just Matt,” she snorted. “At the least you could have come up with a last name.”

Angered, he grabbed her by the collar, pulling her close. “Rey of Jakku,” he sneered, “you have no sense of self-preservation, have you?”

She snorted. “I’ve faced worse monsters than one that spends his time pretending to be a radar technician.”

He growled at her in frustration. When her mouth curled up in a crooked grin, he acted on impulse – grabbing the back of her head and crushing his lips on hers.

Kylo could feel her surprise and shock melt away as his lips moved over hers. When she started kissing him back, he felt triumphant; he had conquered this fiery woman! Her hands clasped the collar of his overall before trailing up and pulling the wig from his head. With her fingers, she combed through his hair. The feeling was so divine, he almost moaned into her mouth.

When they finally broke apart, she smirked at him. “So that’s why you kept coming back, hmm?” she teased. “You still haven’t answered my question though,” she continued. “Destroy some cables? Or return to whatever it is you usually do?”

“If I destroy some cables while doing what I usually do, will you come and fix them?”

She tilted her head to the side. “I think I could free up some time.”

Smiling, he softly kissed her again. “Then I think I’ll do both.”


	19. Darkness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 20180625 - [Darkness](https://manulgirl.tumblr.com/image/169698122867)
> 
>  I'm going to sum up the tags below, even though they reveal quite a lot. Just - this is dark (and smutty), read with caution.
> 
> Tags: Dark!Rey; Dark!Kylo; Mention of horrible things; Mention of torture; Mention of mental abuse; Mention of slavery; Mention of war; Mention of gore; Dark fic; Smut; Lemons

She was sitting on his lap, her legs swung over the side of the throne and looking out into the empty throne room. There weren’t any guards present. Why would they need guards? Who would even dare to oppose the two of them?  
  
Smirking, she leaned back, enjoying the feel of his arm around her, his large hand sprawled over her abdomen.  
  
Saying ‘yes’ to him had been her best decision ever. At first, she had fought him — begging him not to make her choose between him and what she viewed to be the ultimate betrayal of her newfound friends. She had resisted, she had fought. But when the legacy saber had split under their determination, a power had flowed through her.   
  
It had been unlike anything she had ever felt — so strong, so beautiful. It was a seduction that made her shiver; a feeling that clung to her skin and made her feel beyond amazing. She knew it was his. She knew it was what he wielded and what he promised. It wrapped around her, offering her a belonging that had always eluded her, that had never been hers.   
  
When Hux walked in with a squadron of Stormtroopers behind him — having every intent to attack her — she had Force-swept them away without thinking about it. She was still too wrapped up in the power. It was showing her things she never thought possible, futures where nobody would ever treat her like garbage again.  
  
She had stayed. When Hux stood to face her, she merely looked at him with a challenge in her eyes. The challenge turned into a smirk when he blanched and backed off. It was the day the future began.  
  
“What are you thinking about, my queen?”  
  
She hummed before opening the Bond between them to allow her thoughts. Stars swirled around them, only barely illuminating the pitch-black of their background. Images, memories of thousands of people bowing down before them flashed through their combined minds.   
  
His arousal flowed through her, making her belly clench. The hand that had rested on her ribs moved up to cup her breast while more images flowed between them. He kissed her shoulder as governments kissed their feet, coming to them to offer their surrender. His other hand trailed up her skirt as they remembered forcing the officials to watch as they punished their people for their resistance. Rey gasped at the same time the phantom officials cried out in anguish.  
  
He ripped the top of her dress, exposing her breasts, mirroring the tearing of clothes as the newly instated slaves were forcibly exposed to potential buyers. He bit down hard on her shoulder and the blood she could feel bubble up made way to images of discovered spies being tortured for information. It made her feel heady, made her move her hips against Kylo’s hand.  
  
She reached back, blindly opening his trousers while riding the high of fighting him, learning to properly wield a saber, wield the Force, and becoming invincible. She arched her back at the feeling of a battle, of the adrenaline.  
  
Grunting, Kylo released himself from the confines of his trousers. He grabbed Rey around the waist and turned her around, pulling her down on him and sinking into her as they revelled in how smoothly a saber drove through a body, how easy it was to slice someone in two.  
  
They got high on the feeling of raging battles, on the conquering of planets and systems, on the panic and dumbfounded fear that spread through the enemy as their unique shuttle appeared in the sky. Crowds split before them, enemies fell over each other in their urge to get away, they moved in sync while they massacred those that dared to oppose them. They were one, they were Darkness, they were invincible.  
  
Their climax neared as they both remembered having Finn and Poe on their knees in front of them. The leaders of the Resistance finally at their mercy. They revelled in planting images in the men’s heads, images of unthinkable horrors, images that could not be unseen — until both went insane.   
  
The Force manifested around them, laughing, free. Dark clouds of smoke and ashes swirled through the throne room. Echoes of anguished cries mirrored their moans of pleasure.   
  
When they reached their climax, the Darkened Force exploded around them, exploded outwards throughout the Galaxy. It banished what little Light that had remained and cradled its finest creation in its ethereal hands. It had created perfection, it had won, it had become invincible.


	20. Teaching the Senior

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 20180702 - [Teaching the Senior](http://sparklepoodles.tumblr.com/post/170773782359/student-teacher-2-reylo-au-pt1)  
> It's the first gif in the left column, with Daisy looking out of the corner of her eye as Adam seemingly tries to solve something written on a board.

He had been slaving away at that board for as long as she had been studying in the cramped study hall. At first she had found it amusing, by now she was starting to pity him. How could a senior – at least, she guessed him to be a senior by his age – be having so much trouble with a simple equation?

The guy blew out a breath and rubbed the back of his neck. Rey was starting to believe it was a nervous tick; one that was getting on her nerves. She looked at him from the corner of her eye before staring straight ahead. The walls were a dreary brown, a clock was ticking away the time, and the sun was slowly setting into early evening.

She really did feel sorry for him. He only needed to take into account the effect of the vibrations on the smaller components and he would solve the entire thing. He had missed it again, and again, and again. It was almost painful to watch.

When he wiped the board to start over yet another time, Rey sighed and relented. Even though he might yell at her or shoo her away like a small child, she could not take it any longer. Resigned, she got up and walked over to him.

“You need a hand?” she asked bluntly.

He nearly jumped in surprise, looking at her with wide eyes. “Come again?”

“I said, do you need a hand?”

“With what?”

She raised an eyebrow at him and tapped the board with the back of her hand. Was he really that dim-witted?

“You can help me with _this_?”

She decided that, yes, he was indeed dim-witted. “You seem to have an awful lot of trouble with it.”

He laughed awkwardly, turning back to face the once more white board. “This definitely is not my strongest course, no. Sadly enough, it’s required.” He looked back at her. “You can really help?”

Rey rolled her eyes. “Didn’t I say so before? This is standard stuff, just basic engineering.”

“It’s a good thing I’m not an engineer then.”

She looked up at him in surprise. He was smiling down at her, a shy, somewhat embarrassed smile. It was a sharp contrast with the darkness of his eyes. When he – yet again – dragged his hand through his hair, Rey couldn’t help but think these contradictions made him look both mysterious and cute; which was a contradiction on its own.

“Then what is it that you study? This is an engineering campus after all.”

“I’m a graphic designer. I’m the one creating the designs you can all swear to hell because they’re impossible to build.”

Rey snorted. “Nothing is impossible,” she answered.

“Ha! Wanna bet?”

It took Rey a second to realise they had stepped closer to each other, staring at one another in challenge. Mumbling something incoherent, she took a step back.

“So, uhm, your assignment here.”

“Yes, yes, indeed,” he answered, also turning back towards the board, dragging his hand through his hair.

“You really need to stop doing that.”

“What? What am I doing wrong?”

“It’s not wrong, per se, you’re just going to go bald if you keep doing that?”

“What?”

He looked at her, bewildered, and Rey realised she had once more veered off topic. What was it about him?

“You, uhm, you keep dragging your hand through your hair,” she mumbled, feeling embarrassed that she now had to admit she had been watching him. “You’re going to go bald.”

He laughed – a rich, deep sound. It lightened up his entire face, making him look much younger. “Force forbid I go bald,” he said.

“It most definitely would be a shame.”

He blinked at her, then touched his hair. “You think?”

Rey tried to backpaddle, realising the conversation was not going as planned, not in the slightest. “Yes, I do. What’s your name anyway?”

“Ben.”

“Right, Ben,” she said. “You’re forgetting about the influence of the vibrations.”

“I’m doing what?” Rey tapped the board again. “Oh, with my calculations. Right, engineering, vibrations, right.” He stared at the empty board for a long moment, before looking back at her. “And how exactly do I do that?”

Rey rolled her eyes and started explaining. It felt decidedly odd to be teaching a senior something that had been in one of the first courses she had followed. She wondered who had ever had the idea of putting the graphic design department on an engineering campus; it was obvious they were a lost cause. After about an hour, Ben finally managed to finish his assignment.

“This is the most impossible thing I’ve ever had to learn!” he exclaimed, standing back and shaking his head. “It doesn’t make any sense!”

“It makes all the sense in the world!” Rey countered. “It’s pure logic!”

“It most definitely is not!”

“Your brain is just weird.”

“Who says it isn’t your brain that’s malfunctioning?”

“I’m an engineer, I don’t _do_ malfunction.”

They stared at each other and started laughing.

“Right,” Ben finally said. “I still don’t know your name, though.”

“It’s Rey.”

“Well, Rey, I’m in your debt for helping me. I would never have figured this out on my own.”

“No kidding.”

“No need to rub it in,” he grouched before glancing out of the window. “It’s gotten pretty late, though. Can I offer you a bite to eat as a show of my gratitude?”

She stared at him as he winked and gave a small, awkward bow, then shook her head with mirth.

“You’re a strange one, Ben. You can buy me food, I never turn down food,” she answered. “Let me just get my things.”

Wondering what she had gotten herself into, she grabbed her books and stuffed them into her backpack. When she walked back over to him, he offered her his arm like a true gentleman. Snorting, yet secretly charmed by his gesture, she put her hand in the crook of his elbow.

“Pizza or taco’s?” he asked


	21. Mine!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 20180723 - [Mine!](http://sparklepoodles.tumblr.com/post/175618465724/reylo-week-2018-alternate-universe-day-5-they)  
> It's the second gif in the first column, where Adam looks up and Rey kisses a black guy.  
> For those who noticed that 20180716 is missing, it's a separate one-shot titled 'Space Pirate'.
> 
> Tags: Graphic violence; Obsession; Dark!Ben

He watched her. He watched her whenever he could. He wanted her so he considered her his. She was his and no-one else’s. The fact that she didn’t know that yet was irrelevant. She was his.

So he watched her. He followed her around campus whenever he could. He made sure she got home every evening, and was around to see her leave every morning.

It helped that they shared a lot of classes. He would sit in the back, watch her take notes, watch her sweep her hair behind her ears when it fell in front of her face. He had memorised her handwriting so well he could easily copy it. He would eat lunch in the cantina just like her. When she worked her shifts in the coffee shop, he studied in the park across it. Only when it rained did he venture inside.

She had a bit of a ‘tough girl’ act going on – always wearing bomber jackets and dark make-up. He found it didn’t really suit her. She should go for a more feminine style. Yes, that would look better on her. It was also partially the fault of the crowd she hung with – street people, into hiphop and other debased music, wearing low-hung jeans and caps. She could do so much better than them. She already had better; she had him.

Ben clenched his teeth as he watched her flirt with the black guy of their group. He thought his name was Finn, but he wasn’t sure. They were beneath his notice anyway. Only Rey counted. Only her. He mindlessly nibbled on his lunch while keeping an eye on them.

She had been flirting with the guy for over a week now – throwing him looks through her lashes and touching him whenever she could. Ben had been planning to do something about that. He would never harm her. Never! But he had no such reservations when it came to _him._ The guy was toying with the wrong woman.

His head swung towards them when he saw her put her hands on the guy’s chest, moving in. When she kissed him, Ben’s hand clenched his fork so hard, the metal bent. He hardly noticed it. Rage was coursing through him. How dare this lowlife put his hands on his woman!? How dare he take a kiss that was supposed to be his?

Kylo growled, causing the guy sitting in front of him to blanch and scoot to the side. This evening, for one evening, he wouldn’t be following her. No, he had a cockroach to crunch under his boot.

Instead of going to his next class, he went home to change into all-black clothes. For once, he was happy it was winter. It would be dark by the end of the last lesson – the one this black guy was in as well – and he could follow him easily without being seen.

As usual, he sat in the back. His rage was difficult to contain when he saw Rey and the lowlife sitting together. He had an arm swung possessively around her. Kylo would make sure that never happened again. The guy would learn a lot of things that evening.

As the class ended, he quickly made his way outside, watching and waiting in the shadows until his prey exited. Rey had the evening shift in the coffee shop – he knew her roster by heart – so he didn’t have to worry about the two of them going somewhere together. No, he would have that black menace all by himself.

He grinned when he saw them exit the building. The grin quickly turned into a glower and clenched fists when the couple kissed before parting ways. Silent and keeping to the shadows, Kylo followed Finn. He needed the man somewhere excluded, somewhere alone. The grin reappeared when the lowlife decided on a shortcut through an alleyway.

Lengthening his stride, he quickly caught up. From behind, he wrapped a hand around the cockroach’s neck and slammed him into the wall. He quickly followed it up with a fist in his gut.

“You keep your filthy hands off of her, you hear me?” he threatened. “She’s mine!”

He released Finn’s neck, only to draw his arm back and plant his fist against the side of the man’s face.

“What the fuck is wrong with you, man?” Finn spit, scrambling up from where he had fallen. “Do I even know you?”

“You’re dabbling with the wrong girl,” Kylo responded.

He moved in to hit Finn again, but was blocked. They scuffled for a bit but Kylo’s larger size and strength quickly earned him the upper hand. He managed to land another full blow on Finn’s stomach, knocking all the wind out of him.

“I saw you wrap your arm around her like you possess her.” Kylo grabbed Finn’s arm and drew it over his shoulder. “You don’t, she’s mine.”

With a feral grin and a one-track mind, he snapped Finn’s arm in two. The man hollered in pain. With a twist and a kick, Kylo sent him to the ground. He quickly straddled the man’s chest.

“I saw you kiss her with those lips.” He punched the lowlife in the face, aiming for his jaw. “Those lips will only kiss mine!”

Kylo continued punching him. When Finn’s face was bloodied to his satisfaction, he stood and started kicking him in the ribs.

“And this is for every time you thought about her, every time you touched her. This is a reminder for what will happen when you dare touch her again. She’s _mine_!”

When Finn no longer moved, Kylo considered him sufficiently squashed. He spat at him one last time and walked away. Perhaps another lowlife would find him, perhaps not; he didn’t really care.

The next two days, Finn was absent from classes. Kylo could see Rey worry over it and that annoyed him to no end. She shouldn’t even think about the guy, let alone care for him.

When Finn finally showed up again – heavily bandaged and with bruises still showing in his face – Rey immediately went to him, concern clearly written on her face. Much to Ben’s satisfaction, the lowlife worriedly scanned the crowd. When Rey reached him, he pushed her away. When she tried again, he snapped at her, speaking harsh words before turning the other way.

Ben watched as Rey was left standing – a heartbroken look on her face and tears threatening to spill. Trying to hide his grin, Ben got up. Perhaps now was the time to approach her. She would turn to him as he consoled her, she would realise she was already his.

When he spoke to Rey in soft tones – asking what had happened and if she was okay – he turned his head to seek out Finn, and winked.

 


	22. The Magician’s Citadel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 20180730 - [The Magician's Citadel](https://theforces-of-destiny.tumblr.com/post/166035947915/the-force-doth-awaken-shakespeare-in-love)

When the news reached her, she abandoned her books and ran through the Citadel towards the main gate. She stopped right in front of him – ignoring the other returned students – but resisted the urge to envelop him in a hug. Such public displays were frowned upon, even in the progressive climate of the Magician’s Citadel.

“You’re back!” Rey said, smiling broadly and studying his face.

“Don’t I always come back?” he answered.

He wanted to bury his hands in her hair and kiss her. By the Force that guided their powers, he had missed her! She looked good, he concluded. Her cheeks were tinged red, she was wearing the most beautiful dress, and the smile on her face told him she had missed him as much as he had missed her.

For four months he’d been away. Four months since they had last seen each other. With delicate fingers, Rey traced the new scar over his right eye.

“How did this happen?”

Ben grinned. “The Grand Mage was really displeased when he sent me away for combat training,” he answered. “My first test was an ‘until utter defeat’ fight with one of the senior trainees.”

“Oh, Ben” she said. Her lower arms were resting against his chest; it was all the contact they would get until they found a moment alone. “You shouldn’t have tried to spell a temporary hole in the outer wall just to smuggle in some alcohol. I told you it wouldn’t work.”

“You remember incorrectly, young lady,” Ben teased. “It worked really well. We got two cases of bottles through it before we were discovered. How was I to know there were protective enchantments on the walls?”

Rey shook her head with mirth. “Why didn’t they heal it?”

“So it would serve as a remembrance.” He shrugged.

“Well, I think it gives you character.”

“Goes with the rogue persona, doesn’t it?”

They both laughed, leaning into each other, feeling the tension slip away at the other’s presence. Ben was the first to break their eye contact by turning and offering his arm. Rey placed her hand at his elbow – another small contact that simply wasn’t enough.

“Let me escort you back to whatever you were doing before you came running down.”

Rey blushed. “Who says I ran?”

“The rosy tint to your cheeks, the glint in your eyes,” he leaned closer to whisper in her ear, “the way your delectable chest was rising and falling, making me yearn for you.”

He laughed lightly as Rey blushed and looked down. “So, what were you doing?” he asked to spare her – and himself, it had been a while after all – any further longing that could not yet be fulfilled.

“Using my free time to study up on war magic.”

Ben rolled his eyes. “My fiery little bird,” he said. “Have you managed yet to convince Grand Mage Skywalker to allow you into combat training?”

Rey shook her head, annoyed. “No. He says it’s no place for a woman. Ha! I’ll show him!”

“You sure will, my lady warrior. You sure will. Did you keep practicing what I taught you?”

“Yes, I did.” He smiled as he saw her excitement. “I even found some offensive spells that combine with it wonderfully,” she continued.

They arrived at the corner in the library where she had been studying. Glancing around, Ben could see nobody lurking and quickly moved in for a quick kiss. It immediately developed into a passionate (and completely inappropriate) greeting. When they disentangled, Rey’s bun had come loose and Ben’s hair and clothes were dishevelled.

Ben looked down at her, wanting to kiss her again, kiss her longer, harder, make her moan in that delectable way of hers, but knew it was too risky.

“Show me,” he whispered huskily. “Tonight. Show me at our training spot in the woods. Be there as the sun goes down.”

Rey was brushing down his shirt and vest – hands lingering on his shoulders, fingers brushing the skin of his neck. “I’ll be there. Tonight,” she answered, promising so much more with the tone of her voice.

Ben nodded and abruptly turned away. Their relationship was the worst kept secret in the Citadel; but somehow his parents and Grand Mage Skywalker were still uninformed. Once they found out, all hell would break loose. The couple didn’t care. As long as they had each other, they both knew they would survive whatever the world decided to throw at them.


	23. Trying to study?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 20180806 - [Trying to study?](https://camminliu.tumblr.com/post/176663936530/tryuniform)
> 
> Tags: Smut; Lemons; Student/Teacher relationship

He watched her as she was sitting on his lap, bend over her book. Either she was focussing relentlessly on her studies, or she was focussing very hard on ignoring him. His hand slid a bit further under her skirt, slipping to the inside of her thigh.  
  
The university uniform made her look younger than she was — more like a first year than a senior. He tried to ignore it; there already was an age gap between them and he really didn’t need her to look even younger. He was too old for her; but when he had told her that, she’d scoffed and rolled her eyes.   
  
Tired of merely watching her, he sat up and pulled her closer — making sure she could feel his excitement as he kissed the tender spot behind her ear.  
  
“Be-en!” Rey whined. “I’m trying to study!”  
  
He blew a breath into her ear. “You don’t need to study, you already know it all.”  
  
“Well, I’m revising.”   
  
She wiggled on his lap, trying to move forward. The movements were rubbed against him and he wrapped an arm around her waist, his other hand still on her thigh. She wiggled some more and he groaned.  
  
“You’re brilliant, you’ll sweep right through the exam.” His hand slid under her shirt. “Trust the person who once taught you.”  
  
“You don’t know how much I studied for your class.”  
  
“Hmm.” He started planting kisses along her neck. “I know all the time you didn’t spend studying. There wasn’t much of it left at all.”  
  
Her pen dropped to the table as his hand palmed her breast.  
  
“You’re incorrigible!”   
  
Her head fell to his shoulder as he nipped her neck in retaliation.   
  
“I really need to study.”  
  
He growled. “You can study later!”   
  
He tilted his hips up, rubbing himself against her backside. As his one hand continued palming her breast — denying her the pleasure of rubbing her nipple — he used the other to urge her legs to open. Rey complied with a sigh. He stroked the inside of her thigh, inching ever closer until-  
  
“You sneaky, lying, minx!”  
  
He could more feel than see her lazy, yet triumphant smile — just as he could feel the lack of underwear under that short skirt.  
  
“Tell me you haven’t been walking around like this all day.”  
  
“You want me to lie?” she purred.  
  
A feral growl ripped out of him as he swiped the table and bent her over it, pushing her hard against the wood with a hand between her shoulder blades. With the other, he pulled up her skirt — tucking it under the waistband so it wouldn’t fall back — and palmed her bum. Rey moaned.  
  
He knew she loved it when he acted dominant. Sometimes, she submitted, sometimes, she fought back — turning their lovemaking into an almost brutal clash of mouths, teeth, and bodies. The first time that ended up in her having bruises, he’d felt miserable. She had declared it a nice reminder of a night well-spent. Even if it didn’t seem to bother her, it did bother him, and he’d been careful ever since. If she noticed it, she never mentioned it.  
  
“So wet for me already,” he hummed, moving his fingers through her slit while he nudged her feet wider. Slowly, he pushed a finger inside her. Rey moaned and tilted her hips up to meet him. She whimpered as he pulled out again.  
  
Leaning over, he tapped his wet finger to her lips — a silent command for her to lick it clean. She did not hesitate, her tongue swirling and lapping at him.  
  
“Good girl,” he whispered. “Stay put.”  
  
He went to retrieve one of the scattered books, loosening his trousers along the way. Even though he was painfully hard, he wanted to play with her a little more. Opening the book on a random page, he placed it in front of her.  
  
“Lean on your elbows and start reading.”  
  
She threw him a surprised look over her shoulder, but complied. “The closed circle of a Stirling engine is- Oh!”  
  
He smiled at her exclamation, ever so gently brushing her clit. “Keep reading,” he commanded.  
  
“It’s- uhm- Is filled with a working fluid that’s- Mmmmmm.”  
  
He bit her neck as his hand found a breast. “Keep going.”  
  
“A working fluid that’s either- Oh Force!”  
  
He pinched her nipple, rolling it between thumb and forefinger. “I might let you come if you reach the end of the page.”  
  
“Please…”  
  
“Read. Study.”  
  
Her stammered lines became ever more incoherent the longer he played her. He dangled her on the edge, commanding her to read every time she started begging. Every now and then, he checked to see how far along the page she had gotten. He followed her progress as the last line ended mid-sentence.  
  
“There’s a risk of explosion at high… Please! Please, Ben, please!” she panted, sounding utterly desperate.  
  
“Very well.”  
  
He straightened, freed himself, and slid home with one, powerful thrust. Rey immediately exploded around him, mewling and moaning, her fingers trying to dig into the table. He moved in time with her pulsing — prolonging her release and not giving her time to relax as he kept thrusting in and out of her in a steady rhythm.  
  
Rey was soon moaning again; writhing on the table in time with his movements. He put a hand in front of her shoulder — preventing her from bumping against the table with each of his thrusts — and leaned in to whisper in her ear.  
  
“Did you go to classes like this? With nothing under that skirt of yours?” he murmured, knowing full well what his voice did to her. “Are you sure nobody saw that pretty cunt of yours? Did you leave a wet spot on the chair when you thought of me? Did you go to the bathroom to stroke yourself? Or did you save it all for me?”  
  
“For you! For you!” she cried out.   
  
He could feel she was nearing the edge again, her movements turning erratic. His thrusts became harder and faster in response. He wouldn’t last much longer either.  
  
“Must have been hard, lusting for me all day. Did you longue for me to fuck you, to fill you up again and again? Were you imagining how I would make you scream?”  
  
“Oh Force! Oh please! Yes- Yes, I- Ooooh. Gods! More. Make me come. Please, I want to come!”  
  
“Always so impatient,” he hummed, reaching under her to return some of his attention to her breasts. He palmed one, dragging his thumb over the nipple before suddenly pinching it.  
  
Rey screamed as she became undone. Her body arched under his, her muscles spasming as her orgasm ripped through her. With a roar of his own, Ben allowed her pulsing to pull him over the edge as well.   
  
Spend, he rested his body on top of hers, waiting until his legs stopped shaking so he could stand again. When he finally slipped out of her, Rey whimpered in protest. He smiled at her — still lying limp on the table — when he realised they were both still wearing all their clothes.  
  
“Let’s go take a bath,” he said.  
  
“I can’t move…”  
  
Ben laughed, convincing her to stand up and then scooping her up into his arms.   
  
“I’m not done with you yet, little tease,” he said, walking through the house and towards the bathroom. “First I want to undress you, slowly. Then I want to wash you, rub my hands all over you as I soap you up. Perhaps I will let you come again. Perhaps not. After I’ve toweled you dry, I’ll take you to the bed and make love to you so thoroughly, you won’t even remember your own name.”  
  
He hummed in satisfaction as Rey squirmed in his arms.


	24. Flamenco

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 20180813 - Flamenco  
> Note: The art which was the prompt for this story was a commission made for one of the admins of our site, therefore there is no link to the original fanart. I can, however, give you a description: It was an image of Ben having his arms wrapped around Rey from behind. Ben is wearing a white suit with hat, a walkman in his pocket and headphones around his neck (the clothes are much like what he wears at the beginning of 'The man who killed Don Quixote'). Rey is wearing a red dress with black polka dots and a rose in her hair, in the style you would expect from a flamenco dancer.

He ignored the rest of his party as he watched her dance – the heels of her shoes clicking on the floor and her skirts swirling around her. She looked fiery, proud, strong, and sensual. He couldn’t keep his eyes off of her. The same could be said for most of the male population in the bar.

Every time she smiled at the musicians, he was envious. They seemed so in-tune – her steps and movements perfectly choreographed to the guitar and the vocals. The locals had told them over and over again that it was all improvised. Ben found it hard to believe.

The crowd in the bar cheered as she finished her final dance and the dance floor was opened for all. After a small break, the musicians started playing up-beat tunes. Amongst laughter and general merriment, the floor filled with dancers. The young danced with the elder, the elder with the young. Sometimes it was hard to tell who lead whom, and Ben smiled at the exuberant atmosphere.

Loud cheering greeted the Flamenco dancer when she joined the floor. Her laughter peeled around the room as she twirled from person to person. Dismissing his companions entirely, Ben stood to watch her from the edge of the dance floor. He knew Latin dance styles, but this was something else entirely. He was more than happy to simply watch her laugh and dance. Something about her was simply mesmerizing.

When she caught his eye, he smiled at her. With his white suite and hat, he knew he looked as out of place as a fish on dry land. He almost wished he had put on something else, something less- well, simply _less_. When his friends had said they were going out for a drink, this was not what he had expected.

His smile turned confused when she twirled straight at him and said something in Spanish.

“I’m sorry, I only speak English.” Somehow, that made him feel even more like a fool.

“Oh, sorry, I should have guessed.”

Ben again blinked in surprise. Her English was almost flawless; only a small accent could be detected.

“Where did you learn English?” he blurted, feeling like banging his head against the wall for his stupidity.

The woman laughed. “Who cares? You should come and dance with us.”

“Uhm,” he answered, “I don’t think my version of dancing would go well with this?”

She laughed, pulling him onto the floor. He let her. “You just have to have fun!” she told him, before twirling away again.

For a moment, he simply stood there, flabbergasted, until an elderly man bumped an elbow in his ribs. “Do lady words,” he shouted, before laughing and turning back to his partner.

With a shake of his head, Ben decided to give it a try. It didn’t take long before he started feeling extremely awkward amongst the group of fluidly moving people. He was about to give up when she appeared again.

“Stop thinking!” she said, grabbing his hands and pulling him along into her movements.

“This is- different,” he tried to explain while stumbling about. “I dance salsa, rumba, tango. This- this I do not know.”

She looked at him. “Too bad.”

“Wait!” he cried out as she moved away from him again. He grabbed her arm and pulled her close. “Meet me, tonight, let me show you how I dance.”

Her eyes turned cold. “Excuse me?”

“No! No! Not like that!” Ben panicked. “Dance, literally dance! Not- Not- No. Dance.”

She threw her head back, laughing. “You will show me this salsa?”

“I’ll show you the tango.”

“Hmm.” She twirled around him. “And where do you suggest we meet?”

“Casa de Fuerza, on the roof, at 2 ‘o clock.”

“We’ll see.”

He watched her disappear amongst the crowd, wondering if her answer was a yes or a no.

xXxXxXx

While counting down the minutes, Ben stood watching the small but vibrant Spanish city below. The night was warm and a lot of people were still on the streets. He had told the hotel owner that – if he was a lucky man – a woman would want to go up to the roof. The man had smiled and promised him she would not be stopped. Sometimes, Ben thought, it was useful to have a lot of money.

The door behind him creaked and he turned around. She was still wearing the dress from earlier that evening. The faerie lights on the roof cast shadows on her face, giving her an air of mystery. For the second time that evening, he was totally mesmerized.

“Aren’t you going to say hello?”

“Your beauty gobsmacked me.”

She raised an eyebrow and he felt like sinking through the floor. Of all things he could have said…

“Hello,” he continued lamely. He moved his arm in what he hoped was an inviting gesture. “Have you ever seen this view; it’s quite breath-taking.”

She moved to stand beside him, her hands leaning on the stone parapet that surrounded the rooftop. They still held some warmth from the sun. He stared at her, thinking she was a woman kings would go to war over – like Helena of Troy.

She caught him staring and smiled. “Weren’t you going to teach me one of those dances of yours?”

“Ah, yes, yes, I was.”

“Where’s the music?”

“Well…” If it wasn’t for the hat, he would have dragged his hand through his hair. “I didn’t have time to set something up, so we’ll have to do with this.”

He pulled an old Walkman out of his pocket and clipped it to his back pocket. The headphones he draped around his neck. After he pressed ‘play’, the music was just loud enough for both of them to hear.

“Inventive.”

Ben shrugged. “Let me show you the basic steps.”

He was gratified to find she was a quick learner. When he was certain she was confident in her movements, he stopped to face her.

“Now, are you ready for the real deal?”

“I’m happy to know this isn’t all there is to it,” she quipped.

Ben smirked and stepped close to her, pulling her almost against him in the starting position.

“Now,” he said, “you do nothing but follow.”

“Excuse me?” She tried to pull away but he wouldn’t let her.

“Tssk,” he chided. “In the Argentina Tango, the men lead, and the women follow. No exceptions, no decisions made by the women. You stop thinking, and you merely follow.”

“I’ve got nothing to say?” she protested again.

Ben chuckled near her ear. “Do you trust me?”

“I don’t know you.”

“But do you trust me to guide your movements? Show you where to go? To not lead you astray?”

She shivered slightly. “I guess so.”

He rolled his eyes. “Good. Now relax.”

It took a while before he felt the tension in her shoulders ease. As soon as it happened, though, he started moving. He could tell she had an independent nature. The need to make her own decisions asserted itself on multiple occasions, but he firmly denied her the freedom.

He could feel it the moment she lost herself in his guidance. Her body softened and all hesitance in her steps disappeared. Smiling, he guided her through some more complex steps. She was a dream to dance with. It felt like they had been partners forever, so smoothly did she follow his steps.

He pushed her into a half turn and pulled her back against his chest. Her hand came to rest on his thigh as he guided her foot to the side.

“Do you _feel_ the music?” he whispered in her ear. “Do you feel it moving through you?”

She sighed at his words. With a satisfied smile, he picked her up and swirled, before putting her down and cradling her head on his shoulder.

“How does it feel to have given up all control?” he continued murmuring. “Doesn’t it make you feel calm? Safe?”

Her hand fisted in his vest as she let out another sigh. Feeling like the luckiest man on earth, he lead her from one song into another. He could have cursed when the old Walkman ran out of music. Instead, he merely stopped, allowing the woman in his arms to come back to herself. He watched her as she blinked owlishly.

“What?” She suddenly took a step back and out of his arms, her eyes wide. “What?” she said again, confusion clearly written on her face.

Ben didn’t answer, unsure of what to say. He stumbled a few steps forward as she bolted for the door.

“Wait!” he shouted after her. “Wait!”

She stopped just short from the doorway to the stairwell, and looked over her shoulder.

“At least- At least tell me your name.”

“Rey,” she said, barely above a whisper. “My name is Rey.”

With fluttering skirts, she disappeared from the rooftop.


	25. I've seen your future

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 20180820 - I've seen your future  
> Note: The gif that was the prompt for this drabble was the elevator scene in The Last Jedi, where Rey tries to turn Kylo/Ben.

He gazed at her. He never actually thought she would come when he gave her the coordinates; he had been sure she was bluffing. Yet, here she stood. It had pained him to put her in cuffs but he knew there was no other option, no other way. How was she so fearless? He didn't understand.

Rey turned towards him, her eyes not quite meeting his. "You don't have to continue following him — Snoke. You don't."

He didn't answer, merely kept looking at her. She was wrong. He _did_ have to follow him. Where else was he to go? What other purpose could he have?

Her eyes snapped up to his. "When we ... connected, when our hands touched, I saw your pain. No, I felt it. I know how he treats you, Ben. It's not right. You don't have to allow that to continue."

He kept looking at those brown eyes of hers. The pity he had expected to find in them wasn't there. She claimed to have all that knowledge and was still talking to him? Impossible!

He felt conflicted; he knew he was strong, yet Snoke belittled him so easily. That Rey had seen that was not something he wished to contemplate. She was lying, for sure. If she truly knew, she would not be standing there, not be talking to him the way she did. She would think him weak and leave, like others had left him. He hated the idea. What was this longing he had for her?

Rey tilted her head to the side, watching him as intently as he was watching her. "What- What did you see? Back then?" she asked, tentatively.

Kylo squeezed his eyes shut for the shortest moment. He remembered those images. He remembered what he saw vividly; it was burned in his brain like a tattoo. How could he ever forget?

He focused back on his surroundings. Experience told him that they were almost at the Throne Room. There wasn't enough time. He didn't know what to do. He needed more time!

Striding forward, he caused Rey to skitter backward and bump into the wall. She was trying to be brave about it, but Kylo could see his size intimidated her. The twitch his lips gave in response was unfamiliar and downright disturbing. Yet, he slammed his hand against the control board next to her face, effectively disrupting it with the Force. The elevator shuddered and stopped.

"You," he practically breathed, looking down at her wide eyes. "I saw you. I saw your future."

He studied the emotions that flickered across her face. Even though she was an open book, he could not read her — like a language he had yet to learn.

"Don't you want to know?" he asked. "Don't you want to know your future?"

Even if she did answer 'yes', he would never reveal it. He would never reveal he had seen the two of them together, moving through saber routines as one — in sync, not fighting. He would never allow her to know he had seen them kiss — and that he longed for that to happen. The future wasn't set in stone, it flowed and changed like the Force itself. He didn't doubt that what he had seen was a near impossible outcome. Still, he yearned.

A sharp stab through his head proceeded the elevator recommencing its ascend. Kylo stepped back, grimacing. That Snoke had found out he had stopped the elevator did not bode well.

When Rey tried to talk, he interrupted her. "Fight him," he said, throwing up his mental shields and preparing to meet the master he so hated. "Fight him for all you're worth. It's the only way."

 


	26. Lady of the Woods

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 20180827 - [Lady of the Woods](http://the-apple-is-the-fruit.tumblr.com/post/176556329681/my-love-as-deep-the-more-i-give-to-thee-the-more)  
> The prompt is the top picture. The drabble was lightly inspired by Robin Hood.

She was running through the woods at full speed. Her heart was pounding as her feet drummed the forest floor, skirts snagging in the underbrush. He was gaining on her; she could hear his footfalls getting closer. Risking a glance over her shoulder, she could see that he was indeed close to catching her.

Her breath hitched at the sight and she took a sharp turn to the left. He was big and strong, and with those long legs, he easily gained on her. However, Rey knew she was more nimble on her feet. Every time she took a turn, he lost some of the distance he had gained. Perhaps, this time, she could lose him.

Another turn, one to the right. She wanted to smile at his cursing, but noticed her breath was too laboured for even that. A stitch was developing in her side. She wouldn’t be able to run that much longer.

Rey shrieked as his arm snatched her around the waist and lifted her slightly off the ground – both of them skidding to a halt. Squirming, she fought his grip, trying to get away, and stumbled when he suddenly did let go. Before she could start running again, however, he grabbed her arm, pulled her to the side, and pushed her against a tree.

Both were breathing hard as she stared up into his face.

“My fair Lady of the Woods,” he murmured. “Even though you have run far and wide to escape me, I have caught you now. What is my price for your capture?”

Rey pinched her lips to suppress a smile. “Master of the Hunt, you have chased me through the woods until my breath grew short and my feet started burning, yet you believe I would offer you a price?”

He moved in closer. “I have worked long and hard to catch your attention, in such that I have caught you completely. At least you must congratulate me on my success.”

“A fair point you make, Master of the Hunt. Then what would you wish your price to be?”

“I wonder if a kiss would be too much to ask?”

Rey giggled, unable to hold it in any longer. She placed her hand on his chest and smiled up at him. “Ben Solo, you are a roguish fiend,” she laughed.

“You dare call me a fiend?” he replied, stepping in so close their bodies were almost touching.

“It’s why the sheriff’s men call you Kylo Ren, isn’t it? And I will call you more if you do not make good on your promise.”

“Have I made a promise then, my Lady?” he murmured. She could feel his breath brushing her face.

“A kiss you would steal as a price for your hunt.”

He smirked, before cupping her face with his hand and gently pressing his lips on hers. Rey could feel he was trying to keep it chaste, but virtue be damned, she wanted him! Her arms wrapped around his shoulders and she pulled him in.

Ben reacted just as she had hoped he would; he bodily pressed her against the tree, her hair snagging on the bark. She didn’t care about her braid coming loose – his kiss turned hungry and she eagerly returned it.

“I can’t stay long,” she said once they broke apart. “They’ll realise I’m gone soon.”

“I know.” He kissed her again, slower this time. She moaned as he gently bit her lower lip. “I know, but I still don’t want you to leave. Stay. Live with me.”

“You know I can’t,” she answered, remorsefully.

Oh, how she wanted to stay, but she was better placed where she was. They could exchange information, solve the situation together – both from the inside-out and from the outside-in. The short times they could meet up were torment and bliss twined together. They would be together at the end; that was all that mattered.

“Bring me back to the edge of the woods, my roguish hunter.”

He kissed her one more time before taking her hand and navigating through the trees. “When will you come again?” he asked.

“As soon as I can, my love, as always.”


	27. Expecto Patronum

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 20181023 - [Expecto Patronum](http://lilithsaur.tumblr.com/image/178056575813)
> 
> Tags: Hogwarts crossover; Slytherin!Rey; Gryffindor!Ben

“Rey, right?”

Rey turned her head to the side and up to look at the boy that had addressed her.

“Yes?” she questioned, her tone clearly showing that she did not appreciate the interruption.

The guy dragged his hand through his hair, obviously uncertain. “Uhm, yeah, nice flying!”

“Thanks...” She let the word drag out while she looked him up and down. He was tall, had wide shoulders, and obviously did some sort of workout. Only too bad he was a- “Gryffindor,” she continued, contempt in her voice.

“Yeah, well, uhm, that was all.”

She watched as he turned and all but fled. Rey looked back at her friends. “Am I supposed to know him?”

Kaydel smirked. “That’s Ben Solo; he’s a seventh year and as Gryffindor as one can get. Don’t waste your time.”

xXxXxXx

Annoyed, Rey blasted apart a writing desk before quickly repairing it again. She was in an empty classroom – trying to get the Patronus charm to work and failing miserably.

She snorted to herself. It was not like she had many happy memories to work with. Yes, she was a Pureblood – earning her a nice spot in Slytherin – but she had hardly ever seen her parents. They had a child to continue the family name and that was that; their duty was fulfilled.

In the eleven years leading up to her entry in Hogwarts, she had been raised by house elves and instructors. A gift would arrive on her birthday, and there was an occasional official function where they had to pretend to be a normal, loving family, but other than that – well, the Mansion was big enough to never run into her parents, or them into her. She always figured the elves were under orders to prevent such an offensive event from ever happening.

Her father died when she was seven. The only reason she knew was because the elves had become distraught and she had asked them why. How her mother had explained the fact that Rey was not present at the funeral, she had no idea. Her mother died just last year. Rey had learned that fact when a Ministry official showed up to sort out her inheritance. She didn’t attend that funeral either. She mourned neither.

“Expecto Patronum!”

Again, nothing happened, not even a small wisp of silvery smoke. She had tried every possible memory – getting her Hogwarts letter, the time a burst of accidental magic had covered her etiquette Mistress with honey, the moment she became the Slytherin seeker, everything. Yet, nothing seemed to work.

Rey jumped as the door to the room opened, quick to aim her wand at the intruder. She had put silencing charms on the room, but hadn’t locked the door; with the sunny weather, she had doubted anyone would be looking for an empty room in the lower levels of the castle.

“Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t think someone was in here,” the outlined figure spoke.

“Who are you? What did you see?”

The figure walked in and she recognised him as that Ben Solo. He was dragging his hand through his hair.

“Hi, I’m Ben Solo. I- I don’t know if you remember me? Or know me at all? You’re Rey.”

“No kidding,” she answered sarcastically. Her wand was still aimed at him. Had he seen her practice and fail? Should she obliviate him? “What did you see?”

“Not much. I, uhm,” he raised his hands slightly; his wand was obviously still in his pocket, “I don’t know what you are trying to practice. I- uhm, did notice it failed?”

“Did you now?”

“I can help?”

Anger flared. Nobody needed to know she couldn’t produce a patronus, certainly not some goofy Gryffindor! Who did he think he was?

“I don’t need your help!” she lashed out. “Get out of my way!”

Marching to the door, she considered bumping into him on her way out. She decided against it though; given his stature, she figured she’d have more luck trying to bump a tree. Scowling, she settled with slamming the door behind her.

xXxXxXx

Rey sighed as he cornered her after dinner. He was obviously nervous – twitching all over, lips moving as if he was chewing on his cheek, and his powerful build somehow seeming gangly.

“What is it?” she snarked, crossing her arms.

“I- uhm… I wish to apologise.”

She looked at him in surprise. “Whatever for? Being a Gryffindor? I’m sure you can’t help it…”

He snorted. “Ha! The hat made a mistake when he did that. I’m no Gryffindor.” Ben shifted his weight and made a vague throw away gesture with his hand. “No, I wish to apologise for intruding on you the other day.”

Rey stared up at him. Somehow, in the blink of an eye, his entire demeanour had changed. Standing before her was no longer the insecure, twitching boy, but a confidant man. It made him … interesting, to say the least. The confident look suited him.

She wouldn’t let him get away with it though. “And so you thought cornering me in the hallway was the best way to deliver this apology?”

“Uhm.”

The insecure boy was back. Rey blinked in confusion. Was it an act? If so, which one was his true personality? Was he trying to get her to pity him by being so twitchy?

“Perhaps- Perhaps that wasn’t the best idea, no. Uhm. Sorry for that too?”

She merely raised an eyebrow at him. He looked back at her, eyes blank.

“You’re in the way,” she snubbed.

“Ah, yes, yes, sorry!” He quickly stepped to the side.

Rey huffed and rolled her eyes. Was he really that empty-brained? Perhaps the hat had put him into Gryffindor because he was too dim to fit in even Hufflepuff?

“Try to remember such a thing as owls exist,” she said, before stalking off towards the dungeons.

xXxXxXx

Rey had forgotten the entire incident when, one morning, a school owl landed in front of her during breakfast, holding a small note in its beak. Smiling, she thanked the owl and offered it some bacon in return for the folded piece of parchment. Her name was written on it in an unfamiliar script. Shrugging, she opened it.

‘Are you going to the game this Saturday? – Ben Solo’

Rolling her eyes, she fought her urge to burst out in laughter. Of course she was going to the game! She was the Slytherin seeker, was she not? What did he expect? That she could study her opponents while sitting in the library?

“What is it?” Kaydel asked, trying to look over her shoulder.

Rey crushed the note in her hand and tucked it into a pocket. “Nothing, just some idiot who remembered the existence of owls.”

xXxXxXx

She wasn’t surprised when she saw him heading her way after the game. Covertly, she watched him approach. He was shifting between happy confident and uncertain with every step he took. It was giving her a headache to try and figure him out.

“We won,” he stated once he reached her.

“Barely,” she retorted.

He gave her a lopsided smile, his eyes crinkling in what she thought was a mischievous look. It temporarily distracted her.

“You’re just saying that because you’re scared we’ll beat you just as hard as we beat Ravenclaw.”

Rey snorted and stood from the bench, trying to even out their height difference as much as she could. “Ha! You wish. Your team will have to fly much better to even hope to stand a chance against us.”

“We’ll see.”

He smirked and walked away. Rey stared after him, confused about the sudden confidence he’d displayed. The confusion only grew as some of his friends met up with him and Ben reverted to his insecure self. He was an enigma, and she didn’t like mysteries.

xXxXxXx

It annoyed her, but she couldn’t help herself; she started watching Ben whenever she could. The fact that he spend a lot of time in the library did make it easier. To her mortification, he caught her staring quite often. The same could be said about Kaydel, whom was now teasing Rey every chance she got. It didn’t change a thing, Rey kept watching him.

His character was one of the weirdest she had ever seen. It seemed that he was uncertain and twitchy most of the time, but when he got to chance to explain something he understood, he suddenly became highly confident. That confidence streak tended to show up at random at the weirdest moments as well. There was no telling when or where it would happen, but suddenly, he acted like he owned the place.

His friends seemed to have gotten used to it. If she had gleaned it correctly, his friends even tried to support his confidence. She was sure she had heard one or two of them ask questions they already knew the answer to. It was a strange sort of dynamic she could not understand.

She was mulling it over in the library when he suddenly gathered his books, got up, and dropped back down on the seat next to her. Rey blinked. Apparently, one of his confidence streaks just made itself known.

“Let’s study together,” he said.

Rey sneered, hiding her own uncertainty. “Like I want to be sitting with a Gryffindor.”

“You do know that the houses are nothing more than a construct, right? They’re meaningless, all of it is meaningless. What do I care that you’re a Slytherin?”

Rey only barely managed to grit her teeth and restrain her rage. She could feel the air around her charging with static, magic gathering around her. Ben must have noticed too, since he was looking at her with wide eyes. He dragged his hand through his hair – which caused a couple of sparks – and visibly folded into himself. “Wha-“

“You are lucky we are in the library,” Rey hissed at him, “or I would have hexed you until you were only an inch away from death. How dare you? Who do you think you are? You will pay for this! One way or another, I will make you pay!”

She stuffed her books into her bag and stormed away; she needed a place to cool off before she lost control. How dare he? How dare he say Slytherin was meaningless? It was the only family she ever had; the only place where she had ever found a friend that wasn’t a house elf. Slytherin was her home! And he called it _nothing?_

The window next to her burst into fragments. Rey barely noticed.

xXxXxXx

The next morning, a school owl once again landed in front of her during breakfast. The parchment it was carrying was rolled into a scroll and attached to its leg. Rey petted the owl for a moment, before taking the letter and giving some bacon in return. She really liked the owls. Since there was nobody she could write to, she didn’t own one herself, but she visited the owlery regularly.

She turned the scroll around in her hands and immediately recognised the script in which her name was written. Turning over her shoulder – she had demonstratively put her back to the Gryffindor tables – she easily caught Ben’s eye. Staring him down, she held up the unopened scroll and set it on fire. She smirked at his shocked expression.

“What was that all about?”

Rey turned to Kaydel and shrugged. They had been best friends ever since first year and spend most of their time together – unless, that was, when Kaydel was off with yet another one of her boyfriends.

“No, really, what’s it about? Is it part of the reason you practically thrashed our room yesterday?” There was a pause. “Ooh! Did you finally find a boyfriend? Is it that Ben Solo? Did you break up? Why don’t I know anything?”

“He’s an idiot, that’s what!” Rey replied vehemently. “I don’t know what I ever saw in him. He can go drown in the lake, for all I care!”

“That bad?”

Rey merely grumbled and aggressively started buttering some toast.

xXxXxXx

The following week drove Rey crazy. Letters kept arriving at every meal, attracting the attention from practically the entire school. She set fire to each and every one of them. To make matters worse, Ben tried cornering her whenever he could. Most of the time, she managed to evade him. The few times he did catch her, she threw insults at him before he could utter a word – causing him to lose his nerve and slink away.

“Aren’t you going a little too far with this?” Kaydel asked one evening in the common room.

“Excuse me?”

“Perhaps if you just tell me what happened?”

Rey looked away. Even though this was Kaydel, she wouldn’t understand. She had a loving family at home and a brother that was a couple years younger.

Her friend sighed. “Rey, he even approached me.”

“What?!”

“He approached me and asked me to talk to you. It seems he wants to apologise for whatever it is he did.”

“There’s no apologising for that.”

“Okay, he said he thinks you reacted badly on him insulting Slytherin. But Rey, that happens all the time. Why are you so hard on him?”

“ _Insulting_ Slytherin?” Rey suddenly burst out. “Oh, he did more than insult it! He called it meaningless! Slytherin is my family!” She snapped her mouth shut in realisation of what he had just said, and quickly got up to leave.

“Rey! Wait!” Grabbing her arm, Kaydel prevented her from leaving. “I- He does not know what he said.”

“I don’t care.”

“Talk to him, Rey. If not for you, then for Slytherin. He’s going to drive us all crazy if you keep ignoring him.”

“He doesn’t have the guts.”

“He seems pretty determined. And upset. Talk to him.”

Rey snatched her arm from Kaydel’s grip. “I’ll think about it,” she allowed grumpily, before retreating to her room.

xXxXxXx

She was reading by the lake when he next tried to approach her. Rolling her eyes, she moved to get up.

“Rey, please, don’t leave!” he yelled at her from a distance. “Just two minutes, please.”

Remembering Kaydel’s plea, Rey sighed and looked away, but didn’t leave. “What is it?” she snapped as soon as he was standing next to her.

“I- Well-“

“Ugh!” Rey rolled her eyes again before looking him up and down. “At least try to say _something._ You’re wasting my time.”

When he kept twitching and dragging his hand through his hair, she shook her head and turned away. Ben grabbed her wrist to stop her.

“Let. Go.”

“No. I- I just want to apologise.”

“I already figured. You were hardly subtle. And you say you don’t belong in Gryffindor?” She huffed. “You’re delusional.”

“I didn’t mean to say anything bad about Slytherin.”

“Sure you didn’t. We have the shiniest reputation of them all. Who could possibly ever want to talk bad about us?”

“No, no, you misunderstand.”

“Oh, so it’s my fault? Yes, there are so many interpretations possible of ‘Slytherin is meaningless’.”

“All houses are meaningless,” Ben retorted. “At least when it comes to friendships. Gryffindor and Slytherin have feuded for, well, forever. And I- I-“

“You what? You’re going to singlehandedly solve it?”

Even though she managed to keep the snark in her voice, Rey was getting confused. What was the difference? What was he getting at?

“No. Impossible,” he answered. “It’s just- I- Ireallylikeyou.”

“What?”

“Ireallylikeyou. And- AndIwanttocourtyou.”

“Excuse me?”

“I was afraid that, because you’re Slytherin and I’m Gryffindor, you wouldn’t even deign to acknowledge me, let alone talk to me. So, you know, when I managed to gather the courage, I said the houses don’t mean anything because I don’t want them to stand between us.”

Rey narrowed her eyes. “Slytherin means everything to me.”

“I’m- I’m sorry. It came out wrong. Even though I still don’t know how else to put it.”

“Of course,” Rey continued, “you wouldn’t know how that feels, given you don’t seem to feel like you belong in Gryffindor.”

“I would have been the odd one out in every house.” He looked down at his feet. “I- I don’t belong anywhere.”

She blinked at him. Loneliness was a feeling she was all too familiar with.

“So,” he suddenly said, a twinkle in his eyes, “what do you think?”

“Of what?” Rey asked, confused by yet another sudden change of demeanour.

“Us?” He made a small bow, finally letting go of her wrist. “My Lady, would you please allow me the honours of courting you?”

She stared at him. “You- You’re serious?”

“Very much so.”

“But- How- I- Why?”

His smile lit up his entire face. “Because you are you.”

She scoffed. “That doesn’t make any sense. You’re mad.”

“Perhaps, but mad or not, I really would like to spend more time with you. Have or haven’t you been staring at me before I said the most foolish thing ever?” He gave her another lopsided grin.

Rey tried but failed not to blush. She had to admit – even if it was only to herself – that she had thought him interesting for a long time now.

“Uhm. O-Okay.”

He didn’t respond and, after a while, she dared to glance up at him. He was staring at her with a shocked look on his face.

“Really?” he asked, shoulders hunched and twitching.

Rey threw him a bewildered look. “What’s up with those attitude shifts?” she asked. “I never really could figure them out.”

“So you _were_ staring.” Ben grinned again.

Shaking her head, Rey walked away – secretly happy that Ben caught up and took her hand in his.

“You’re insufferable,” she said.

“I know.”


	28. Bonding a dream

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 20180910 - Bonding a dream  
> The prompt was a gifset of the scenes when Rey first touches the lightsaber in TFA
> 
> Tags: Violence; A gruesome death

Rey woke with a start. She had that dream again, that one, ever-recurring nightmare. Ever since it had happened, it had been a constant companion during bad, restless nights.

She sighed and dragged a hand over her face. One night, now about four years ago, she had woken at the sound of someone invading the toppled AT-AT she called her home. Even though she had reached for her staff in honed instinct, she had been too late. A rough hand had grabbed her ankle and dragged her outside.

The night had been almost pitch black – the two moons only a sickle at the horizon – but the boosting of men was easily heard, as was the cling and clang of them raiding her home. Against the stars, Rey had been able to see several silhouettes walking about.

As soon as the man dragging her through the sand got distracted, she had kicked her free foot against his wrist and had taken off as quickly as she could, as soon as he had let go. An angry shout followed her attempt at escape. Without having to look over her shoulder, she had known the men pursued her – probably wearing night-goggles and putting her at a disadvantage.

Knowing full well what the men planned to do as they caught her, Rey had broken into a desperate run. She remembered vividly the moment she had stumbled in the sand and fallen. At the same time, however, the distinct howls of gnaw-jaws sounded nearby.

The howls had distracted her, and when she had looked up, one of the man had heaved up his cudgel in order to knock her out. A quick kick in his crotch had knocked him off his feet. Rey had scrambled up – starlight gleaming off the gnaw-jaws exoskeletons only a few meters away – and had run straight past the moaning man. Never would she forget his screams as the insect-like carnivores had reached him and torn him apart.

Her knowledge of the surrounding wreckages had saved her life for she had known exactly where she could hide for the gnaw-jaws. It was an icy-cold, dreadful night as more screams split the silence when two more men fell to the predators. Part of Rey was glad for their deaths, part of her horrified at the sentiment. She didn’t sleep at all.

The next morning, she had dry-heaved at the sight of what was left of the three fallen men. Her house had been a total mess and all her scavenges of the day before had been gone. She had lived on the brink of starvation for well over a month due to the loss of her tech.

Even though she realised it could have been worse, it had by far been the worst night of her life. The nightmares had started as soon as the week after the incident. Night after night she would wake up, either screaming or fighting a non-existent intruder. Even once she left Jakku, the nightmares didn’t stop.

The night after the first time she had experienced rain, it had suddenly started raining in the nightmare as well. Her confusion upon waking had been profound. There was no rain in the desert so seeing it there had by far been the oddest thing ever, plus she liked the rain, so why was it manifesting in her nightmares, of all things?

Nevertheless, the rain had continued showing up, turning the ever-bleak nightmare into something even bleaker. This night had been no different. But something else had happened, something that was so unrealistic, it had shocked her awake.

_‘Her fall knocked the wind out of her. The howls of a pack of gnaw-jaws made her hesitate for just a second too long. Looking up, she saw a figure towering over her, ready to strike her down. She wanted to kick up her leg, kick him in the place he was most vulnerable, when a red saber stabbed him through his chest._

_Rey gasped as she saw the man go down, only to reveal another cloaked figure wearing a mask. She knew him though, she recognised him instantly. She wondered why he didn’t proceed with slashing at her. Weren’t they enemies?_

_“You’re dreaming this again. Why do you always dream of this?” ‘_

The question had jolted her awake. Now, she was sitting at the edge of the bed, trying to figure out what had happened. Why had her mind put him there? Why had he asked her that question? It was surreal, completely unrealistic. He should have tried to kill her, or let the unidentified man do the job for him.

Shaking her head, Rey decided to get some more sleep, if at all possible. There was no use wasting away the night pondering something she could think about the next day. Much to her surprise, she drifted off rather quickly, and soon found herself back in a dream, back in her home at Jakku.

For a panicked moment, she feared she would have to go through the entire nightmare again, but then she realised the sun was up and the day was well on its way. She sighed a breath of relief. When a dark figure appeared in her doorway, however, she quickly grabbed her staff and hit him full on his sternum – causing him to wheeze and stumble out.

“You again!” she said, upon seeing the distinct black clothes and mask. “What are you doing here? Why are you in my dreams? At least get rid of the mask!”

“Well,” he answered, rubbing the sore spot on his chest, “you ignore my attempts at a Force Bond,” he reached up and removed the helmet, “so I decided to find a different way. It seems your dreams are the only place I can reach you, scavenger Rey of Jakku.” He carelessly tossed his helmet to the ground. “We need to talk.”


	29. Basketball

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 20180917 - [Basketball](http://sparklepoodles.tumblr.com/post/170470650409/having-feelings-for-someone-you-have-no-chance)  
> The prompt is the first gif in the right column

She watched the guys play their basketball game as she sat with her friends on the benches around the field. It was an overcast day, but no rain was predicted so they had decided to all meet up.

Somehow, it made her remember a scene from Grease; the movie she had watched with Rose and Paige the evening before. Absentminded – not paying attention at all to the conversation around her – she watched Ben Solo make a score and started humming.

‘Summer loving had me a blast  
Summer loving happened so fast  
I met a girl, crazy for me  
Met a boy, cute as can be’

“Oh. My. God!” Rose exclaimed beside her. “Don’t tell me you’re crushing on him, are you?”

Rey snapped out of her daydreaming. “What?”

“You’ve been staring at Ben the entire time, not hearing a word we are saying. And then you start humming Grease? Girl, you like him!”

“I- I mean- No! What- What are you saying? No, that’s preposterous!”

“What is?”

Rey swallowed and looked up at the sound of his voice. He was standing right next to them, giving them that half-smile of his while he dragged a towel through his hair and over the back of his neck. Rey could see the muscles in his arms flexing.

She swallowed the sudden lump in her throat. “No- Nothing. Nothing at all. We were just, uhm, just teasing around.”

She contemplated the merits of hitting Rose over the head as she started sniggering, but settled for a covert glare.

“Right,” Ben answered, looking a bit unsure.

Rey frantically tried to say something, something that cleared the air and wouldn’t make him think they had been talking about him, even if, in a way, they had been. As she opened her mouth, however, Ben turned towards Phasma.

“We were thinking of going out for a drink, do you girls want to join?”

Nods of assent were given, but Rey grabbed her bag and got up to leave, sighing.

“You’re not coming along?” Phasma asked.

Contempt was obvious in her voice, it always was. She and Ben were better off than the rest of them, but Rey was by far the worst and Phasma knew it. Not once did Rey go with them when they went out for a drink. Her friends tried to persuade her, usually stating that she could just stay ‘for one drink’.

Rey always declined. With the money of that one drink, she could buy a pack of instant noodles at the local Asian supermarket. The money of that one drink often meant the difference between having some sort of dinner, or going hungry. She had never explained that to her friends though, they had worries enough of their own. Even so, she wondered why they kept asking even when she declined every single time.

“No, you guys enjoy yourselves. I have some things to take care of.”

She threw a sideway glance at Ben, who was worrying his lips. She knew she would never have a shot with him. Why would he even be interested? Rose hadn’t been far off though; Rey had most definitely developed a crush on him. Hell, she was quite sure she felt a lot more than that. She also knew that never actually going out with them diminished her chances with him to below zero. It was too bad, but life was shitty, she already knew that, there was no use in fighting it.

As Poe and Finn joined the group, Rey gave Rose a kiss on the cheek in goodbye, waved shortly at Paige, and turned to make her unnoticed exit. It was a strategy she had turned into an art. If nobody noticed her leave, nobody would miss her, and they wouldn’t start badgering her with the ‘only one drink’ nonsense. This time, however, she found her path blocked.

“Why don’t you ever join us?”

Rey looked up. Even sweaty and with his hair plastered to his face, he managed to look like a dark sort of angel. She tried to come up with some excuse or another but her mind had gone into ‘error’ mode. No man should be allowed to be that gorgeous, that good looking, she idly mused.

He tilted his head to the side. “You’re not going to answer me?”

She came to the conclusion that his voice should be illegal to; it did most exquisite things to her.

“I- It’s just, uhm- Well, you know…”

“I don’t,” he replied to her stuttering. “You don’t like crowded places? We can go somewhere quiet?”

“That’s not it. You shouldn’t change plans just because of me. No, it’s just that, uhm, I’ve got things to do.”

“Every single time?”

“Well, uhm- I’ve got to go.”

She tried to walk past him but he stepped to the side, causing her to bump into him – into that hard, muscled chest. Rey stepped back and stared at her shoes, trying to hide her blush. She noticed where the fabric of her sneakers was starting to fray; she would soon try to find the money to buy new ones.

“Tell me why,” Ben insisted.

“Please, just let me leave.”

“No. Tell me, say it.”

Rey just kept staring at her shoes and once more tried to get past him. Again, she failed.

“Tell me!”

“I can’t afford it, alright!” she hissed at him.

She looked up, anger and humiliation burning inside her. How dare he? How dare he force her to admit her poverty? Was that fine exterior merely a façade for an ugly, brutal interior? Did he enjoy humiliating her so?

“Oh.”

“Oh? That’s all you can say? Oh? You’re an ass! Now get out of my way!”

She brushed past him and stalked away. After a second, she heard him following. He quickly caught up and walked alongside her.

“Come to gloat?” she snarked.

“I’m sorry.”

Rey didn’t respond.

“I’ll pay for your drinks.”

“I don’t need your charity!” she snapped.

“It’s not charity…”

“Well, I don’t need your pity either!”

“I don’t pity you…”

“Bullshit!”

He grabbed her arm and forced her to stop.

“It isn’t!” he insisted.

“Let go of me.”

“Look,” he said, suddenly seeming insecure, “I just … want you to be there.”

“Why?” Rey asked, taken aback.

He let go of her arm and, after a brief glance at her, started staring at a point over her right shoulder. “Because I- I want to get to know you better and that won’t happen if I don’t get a chance to talk to you. You’re- You’re pretty, and I think you’re … interesting.”

“Oh.” He thought her _pretty_?

Ben grinned at her. “Oh?” he said, throwing her own words back at her. “That’s all you can say? Oh?”

Rey glared at him.

“I’m sorry, that was a bad attempt at a joke.” He dragged his hand through his hair and worried his lips. “Still, would you like to come? To drink? With us?”

“As I said,” she answered, gritting her teeth, “I can’t afford it.”

He tilted his head to the side. “Then let me take you out on a date. It’s only gentlemanly for the guy to pay on a date?”

He grinned at her. It lit up his entire face and for a moment, Rey could do nothing but stare. When the grin started to falter, she quickly pulled herself together.

“Are you- Are you sure?”

“What?”

“Are you sure you want to take _me_ out on a date?”

“Yes.” He seemed genuinely confused. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

Rey opened her mouth to answer that question but decided against it. “Okay,” she said, suddenly feeling shy and self-conscious. She returned to looking at her shoes. “I have to work during the day though.”

“That’s okay. Can I pick you up at home around seven?”

“No!” she cried out. Never would she allow him to get anywhere near where she lived; the experience would be too shameful. “No,” she repeated, “let’s meet here at half past, shall we?”

He seemed confused but agreed. “Well then,” he said, gently touching her arm, “I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?”

“Okay.”

She watched as he jogged back to the waiting group. Rose winked at her; Poe clapped Ben on the back and glanced at her when he nodded in response. Rey gave them a weak wave and walked away, wondering if all of that had really happened, or if she was having a really confusing dream. She hoped it was the former.


	30. Sneaking onboard

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 20180924 - [Sneaking onboard](http://picarito.tumblr.com/post/169826732302/its-reydar-day-and-for-it-i-wanted-to-draw-a)
> 
> Tags: Matt the Radar Technician; Reydar

“You there! Identify yourself!”

He straightened to his full height. How dare they?

A small hand suddenly grabbed his wrist and pulled him around the corner. He stumbled in surprise and, before he knew it, he found himself in a small, dimly lit space while a service door in the wall hissed close behind him.

“What do you think you’re-“ He stopped mid-sentence and stared.

She was watching through the ventilation slits, her hand still holding his wrist. He could hear the boots of Troopers run by.

“I think they’re gone now,” she said, turning around. “It looked to me like you weren’t supposed to be there, so I decided to help you.”

_She_ was looking up at him and he just stared and stared at her. _Rey._ His mind was oddly blank, thoughts of ‘how’ and ‘why’ so jumbled he wasn’t really thinking them at all.

“Are you okay?” she asked, tilting her head to the side.

“Yes. Yes,” he quickly answered.

“I- Uhm… I did not pull you in here for nothing, right? I mean, this is a high clearance area of the ship…”

“No, yes, I mean no! I- Uhm… I got lost, that’s why I was there, uhm, here. I got lost. I’m new here and I followed a protocol droid and ended up here. Yes, that’s what happened.”

He was still staring at her, his mind finally starting back up again. _Rey._ He couldn’t comprehend how she had managed to get on the ship unnoticed, not _why_ she would do it. She looked as beautiful as ever. _Rey_.

“O-kay,” she answered, obviously wondering if he was in his right mind. He felt like an idiot. “Let’s just stay here for a little while longer, just to be sure they don’t come back. What’s your name?”

Suddenly he realised exactly how small the space they were standing in was. It was heating up quickly too – or perhaps that was just him.

“Name? Ah, my name, yes, of course, it’s, uhm, Matt. I’m a radar technician.”

He could have cursed himself. Why did he have to add that last part? He knew Rey was well versed in tech and he knew next to nothing about radars. What if she started asking question?

“Hello, Matt,” she said, before turning back around to monitor the hallway. “I’m Rey.”

“Rey,” he repeated, finally being able to say it out loud.

The entire situation felt surreal – it was surreal – and saying her name felt like admitting it was, in fact, reality. She was standing right next to him, almost relaxed, unaware of who he really was. If he reached out, he could touch her. Would she accept it? Like she accepted the hugs from her friends? Now that he was Matt, would she be able to consider _him_ a friend? And _what_ was she doing on his ship?

He decided to ask.

“Wait,” he said, “what are _you_ doing here? Are you even supposed to be _on_ this ship? You don’t look like one of the crew.” He hoped it sounded casual enough.

Rey swirled around and placed a hand on his bicep. He couldn’t help a small shudder in response to the sudden contact. “Please, please don’t rat me out!” she pleaded.

“Well,” he answered, “that depends. You did save me just now, but if you have ill intentions, I can’t let you go free.” He bent closer, wondering if she would answer or not. “Are you with the Resistance?”

“I don’t have any ill intentions!” she rushed to say. “I’m here for a visit.”

“A visit? To someone important enough to live in the high clearance area? Surely, if it was a visit, they would escort you themselves?”

She started blushing and he wanted to touch her cheek, just to feel how warm her skin was becoming. His hand twitched but he managed to hold back the urge.

“Well, uhm, it’s more of a surprise visit…”

“A surprise visit? That can be interpreted multiply ways.”

He started looming over her, just so he could get closer. She didn’t shrink back. He could see her shoulders tensing but she was trying her best not to look threatening. It had him fight back a smile. She really was a little sandrat – small but oh so brave.

“I promise you, it’s nothing bad. It’s just, well, I like this person but we’ve been communicating, uhm, from a distance, for so long. I just wanted to see him again, in real life, you know?”

He blinked at her. She was here to see _him_? Could it really be?

“So you snuck into one of the most protected, high security ships just to see him? Why?”

“How else would I surprise him?” she answered.

“There’s something you’re not telling me.”

She stance turned defensive. “I don’t know you.”

He stared at her, taking her in, and shrugged. She responded by looking out of the ventilation slits again.

“I think they’re all gone now,” she said. Her nimble fingers pressed a button to her right and the door hissed open again. “Well,” she said, giving a small smile, “good luck.”

He nodded in return and watched her creep away – in the wrong direction. Apparently, she had managed to sneak on but without a map. With a smile of his own, he marched off to his quarters. He quickly had to change back into his proper clothing, and then make sure she would be able to reach him without running into trouble.

His smile widened into an elated grin, his heart soaring with joy. He couldn’t believe Rey had come to surprise him!


	31. Teasing Captive

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 20181001 - [Teasing Captive](https://hotside.tumblr.com/post/169225697678/kylo-wrapped-his-palm-tightly-around-the-base-of)  
> The prompt is the none-moving version (note: this link contains nsfw)
> 
> Note: AU. The Force Bond has never formed, most of TLJ did not happen.
> 
> Tags: AU

He was taking a cold shower. Ice, ice cold. Again. _This_ was not what he had expected when the bargain had been struck.

In order to take his mind off of things, he thought back to that faithful day.

It had been his mother, of all people. It had been his mother that had tricked him into a meeting. He still didn’t know whether to loath or admire her for it. The fact remained, however, that she had tricked him to meet her at Maz Kanata’s bar.

“My son,” she had said, “my son, you’ve grown. If you weren’t so busy conquering the Galaxy, you would have girls fawning all over you.”

It had been so unexpected that he had only stared at her in bewilderment. Before he’d realised, he’d been sitting at the other side of the table, nursing a drink. It had only been two months prior that he’d slain his master – tired of being a pawn in the man’s game. He had been wary of the Resistance’s reasons for negotiations. Were they trying to stall? Were they trying to gauge him for weaknesses?

In the end, it had been a cease-fire they had been after; one that was supposed to lead into peace negotiations. Those negotiations were still ongoing. He had demanded proof of their sincerity, a token to prove they were genuine. Leia had offered _her._ Rey. The Resistance’s Force user. The woman he had tortured for information and who had nearly killed him on Starkiller Base.

She had glared at him when Leia had pointed her out sitting at the bar. Apparently, she had agreed beforehand to be their token of trust. It had filled him with a sense of glee to take her back to his ship, to have her under his thumb.

He had been a fool.

Off all things he had expected from her, he had not expected this. It had taken him no more than two days to realise she was not who he thought she was.

He had not expected her to step onto his ship with a bright smile on her face, nor that she would flit and almost bounce through it like a happy little fawn. Although he had expected her to disregard any and all rules, he had not expected her to do so merely in order to amuse herself instead of causing problems. He had not expected her to befriend officer, Trooper, and cleaning crew alike, only to then start giving them names instead of the coded references they all had.

She had completely baffled him, and she had been completely out of his control.

It was infuriating!

She had seemed to treat everybody with friendliness and a happy demeanour, except him. Every time he had approached her, she had either glared or stuck her nose in the air. At least, until at one point where he had snapped and duelled her right in the middle of a hallway.

She had smiled the entire time. First, he had thought she was mocking him, but then he had realised she was merely enjoying herself. Not long into their fight, he had also realised he could easily beat her, but – much to his own surprise – he hadn’t. Just like their encounter on Starkiller Base, he got mesmerised by her, by that smile on her face.

Their spar had ended in a draw.

Ever since, she had been toying with him. It was almost as if she considered him her favourite new plaything. At the most absurd, unexpected, and inopportune moments, she would jump at him. She popped up out of nowhere. If not impossible, he would have sworn she melted with the walls and ceiling.

And then, she would smile at him, eyes wide and bright, chest heaving, cheeks flushed pink with exertion. She would laugh, give him one last poke, and dart off. She would leave him standing there, staring after her, confused by his own longing to push her against a wall and kiss her until she would moan his name.

She never called him by his name. _Never._

He would encounter her in the hallways, laughing with crewmembers. Some of the Troopers had started tagging their breastplates with their chosen names. He should have had them send to reprogramming, but he turned a blind eye; like he had done when she’d talked a group of Troopers into taking off their helmets. He had only snapped and demoted them when he saw her ruffling one’s hair.

She’d promptly attacked him with a viciousness he hadn’t seen before. His mood had turned as such that the entire ship’s crew had avoided him for a week. It had only gotten better after she’d ruffled _his_ hair during one of her surprise attacks. Of course, he made her pay for it. Nobody touched him without permission.

Still, he wanted her to do it again.

He had started looking for her every day. He couldn’t stand the thought of not having seen her at least once. As soon as she had caught on, she had started disappearing around corners after throwing him a small, secret smile over her shoulder. How she managed to disappear so quickly, he didn’t know.

He wanted her. He wanted her badly. They had just sparred again. She had gotten so much better these last weeks; they now truly enjoyed themselves, more teasing than fighting. As always, she had darted away afterwards.

And here he was, taking a cold shower. Again.

He was sick off all the cold showers. No more!

“C-3PO!” he called – another token of trust from his mother; although he believed she was secretly happy to be rid of the droid.

“Sir!” the metallic voice answered as it entered his quarters. “Oh my! Sir! You are naked! Rather magnificently so, if I might add.”

“Shut it.”

“Of course, I will, sir.”

“Alert the surveillance team. As soon as I get to the bridge, I want to know the whereabouts of the girl.”

“Of the girl, sir? I’m sure you must mean Rey. Why ever would you want to know that?”

“Just get it done!”

“Yes sir, no need to be so snappy.”

He sighed as the droid ambled away. How his mother had survived the thing her entire life was a mystery to him. Stepping away from the water, he towelled dry and got dressed. He would find her, and corner her, and…

No. No, he would not go that far. Those few times he’d gotten close or pushed her into a corner, she’d reacted like a scared sand cat. It had left him with questions, wondering about just how much of her act was bravado.

“Report!” he barked as soon as he entered the bridge.

“We found her in subsection B, sir. It seems she’s either heading for the training area or the cantina.”

The cantina it was. The one thing she seemed to love more than fighting was food. He had been surprised about how much she could eat, and how she never seemed to get used to having enough food to not have to hoard. It was both disturbing and adorable.

“Get some Troopers to stall her without making her suspicious.”

Without waiting for a response, he turned and walked away. He purposefully strode through the hallways, hoping to be able to cut her off. To his delight, his plan worked. As soon as she saw him, she started grinning.

“Come back for more?” she taunted.

“Indeed, I have.”

He could see the hesitation in her eyes as he didn’t move to take his weapon; her stance grew wary as he didn’t make any move that indicated he wanted to fight.

He gave her a wicked half smile. “Not here,” he said, pressing the button to open a nearby door. He almost chuckled when he realised it lead to a storage room full of canned food. Nevertheless, he walked in, confident she would follow out of sheer curiosity.

“What’s the meaning of this?” she asked as the door hissed close behind her.

His smile widened as he approached her. “I’m tired of playing,” he said.

“What do you mean?”

She stepped back as he came closer, bumping into the door. He could see her hand twitch for the saber on her belt. Lunging forward, he grabbed both her wrists and pinned them next to her head. Although he loomed over her, he tried his best not to seem too dangerous – a novel endeavour.

“You’ve been teasing me, toying with me. I want more, Rey.” He almost purred her name.

She stared up at him – uncertainty and something that bordered fear swimming in her eyes. He was surprised she wasn’t fighting him. It gave him hope.

“I’m not going to hurt you,” he said, leaning closer still.

“You- You sure?”

He almost laughed and couldn’t suppress an amused hum. “Very sure,” he whispered in her ear.

“Oh.”

It sounded uneven, distracted. He hummed again, his lips hovering just above her skin. When he let go of one wrist to put a hand on her waist, her hand stayed in place for a little while, before coming to rest on his bicep. The touch spurred him on the cup her cheek with his other, free hand. He drew back a little.

“I’m going to kiss you now, Rey.”

“O- Okay.” Her voice was breathless.

He could feel her body trembling beneath him. Gently, he pressed his lips to hers, moving them against hers and nibbling on her lower lip. After a moment’s hesitation, she relaxed and moved with him, her arms snaking around his neck.

As he stepped closer, his body pressing against hers, she responded in kind. He could feel the warrior spirit returning to his shy, little sand cat. As he pressed her against the door, he could feel the promise of many days and nights to come, of a different sort of battle than those they had been having before. But those were promises still, a future he would make sure would come to pass. Right there and then, it was enough to just have her in his arms and share her kiss.

At a Resistance base somewhere far away, Leia smiled.

 


	32. A Darkened Realm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 20181015 - [A Darkened Realm](https://spiegatrixlestrange.tumblr.com/post/179055843463/reylo-hades-and-persephone-a-collab-with-my)  
> I hope the link works properly, if not, it's a Hades and Persephone crossover fanart.
> 
> For those who noticed the missing week: 20181008 turned into the one-shot 'The Black Wolf'
> 
> Tags: AU; Greek myth, Hades and Persephone

He watched her. He watched her while she laughed and joked with her friends. He watched her while she was walking around the city, humming along to the music in her ears. He watched her as she stopped in the park, smiling as she studied the flowers, gently touching them with her fingers. He watched, but he did not understand.

Sometimes he thought he could see a shadow of darkness within her blinding light, but it always left as quickly as it came and he doubted it was real. A person as bright as herself couldn’t possibly contain shadows; where would they hide?

Hide, like he did. Every single day, every moment in time, hide in the shadows he would. Those that saw him called him Death; those that saw him never saw anything else again. That was his curse, self-chosen by the fate of a lottery. Luck had never been with him.

The nature of his realm had shaped his soul to mirror it. Darkness stained him black as the night, yet it also paled him in its lack of warmth. He could find beauty in it, had discovered it during the eons he’d lived in it.

Other than what so many thought, darkness was not equal to evil; even death was not equal to evil. Darkness was a world of contrasts, of juxtapositions of near-identical colours. It was varied and rich, hiding the world within its folds.

Yet something had been missing. So he had searched. He had searched his realm far and wide for that which was not there, then, he had ventured out of it. Something was missing. There was an ache he could not heal.

And then he had seen _her_. No, he had _heard_ her. Watching a world which was not his, a tinkling laugh had caught his attention. Unable to resist, unable to do anything but search, he had followed the sound and found _her._

He did not understand.

It had been so long since he had seen anything bright, anything pure; his darkened soul could not comprehend it. For hours he had stared, lurking in the shadows, invisible to all but those that moved on. He wondered if her light would disintegrate him. He was glad it never did.

Purity. A starker contrast to make you appreciate that which contrasts. Darkness was only truly darkness once it overcame the light. He had found what was missing, but even with the insight, he didn’t understand. Wouldn’t the light demolish the dark?

Watching her as she crouched next to a narcissus, admiring its delicate petals, he decided to have her, no matter the cost. His bride she would be, and so he called upon his powers and rose from the darkened shadows to show himself to purity itself.

He didn’t wait for her to shriek in surprise and fear. He didn’t wait for her to try and run. He merely grasped her around the waist, pulled her close, and returned to his realm.

Once there, he released her, stepping back to see the effects of brightness in his darkened domain. Her eyes were wide as she stared at him, before they narrowed into a glare. It was when she exploded in anger – demanding who the hell he thought he was – that he saw his realm transform.

As her light flickered and flared, so did the shadows around them. Contrasts grew bigger, darkness grew darker, and a whole new spectrum of greys, blacks, and dark blues came to life. That which he had thought was depth, now revealed itself as a shallow pond. Magnificence flowed all around them.

He stared at her in awe. She would be his bride. He would do anything to make her stay, to truly make her his, because he knew that from this moment on, life without her would bring the darkness all creatures feared. Anything to make her stay. Anything to have her contrast him for eternity. Anything, and forever.


	33. Flower Shop

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 20181022 - [Flower Shop](http://jjsnrk.tumblr.com/image/178611401529)
> 
> Tags: AU; Flower shop au

Rey looked up at the sound of rain pouring down outside of her little flower shop. It was early afternoon and it seemed the dark-grey sky had finally decided to unleash its load of cold, wet rain. Business had been going slow and, now that the predicted downpour had come, Rey knew it would probably grind to a complete standstill.

She sighed and looked at the pile of unfiled documents tucked away under the counter.

“I guess I have no reason left to postpone those, now have I, Hux?” she muttered to her ginger cat.

The cat – who had been lounging on the countertop – looked at her and then at the pile of papers. Lazily, he stood, stretched, and hopped from the counter to find another place to sleep.

“Yeah,” Rey said, “I would run too if I could.”

She watched her cat as it zigzagged between the many plants in her shop and smiled when it hopped in its favourite wicker chair. Trying to postpone the inevitable just a minute longer, she watched the downpour.

Rey smiled as a tall, broad-shouldered man in a sweater hastily sought refuge under her awning. Given the way he was fighting with his umbrella, she figured it was broken. When he lifted his hand to adjust the shopping bag hanging from his shoulder, she could see a leash around his wrist.

“What breed of dog would he have?” she absentmindedly asked Hux. “It can’t be a big breed, I would be able to see it then. It would be strange for such a large guy to have a Chihuahua though, don’t you think?”

Hux flicked his tail once and Rey snorted.

“Right, I know, I know, I need to get back to work.”

Allowing herself one last sigh, Rey started going through her administrative work. She couldn’t help herself from glancing up every now and then though. Somehow, she found it reassuring to have the man standing in front of her shop and rain pouring down around them.

After a while, however, she started wondering exactly how long he would continue standing there. The rain obviously wasn’t going to let up anytime soon, but he couldn’t possibly be planning to stand there the entire afternoon? She looked at the clock and was surprised to see more than an hour had already passed.

“Is he perhaps waiting for someone?” she asked no-one in particular.

Hux twitched his ears but didn’t respond. Rey shrugged and continued her work, vaguely noting that it was getting darker outside – for as much as that was possible with the clouded sky. She only looked up again when Hux started meowing.

“What is it, boy?”

She craned her neck to see Hux pawing the window, meowing at something outside. The guy was still standing there, shoulders hunched and looking out into the everlasting rain. Another look at the clock told Rey he had been standing there for almost two hours now.

“He must be feeling miserable,” she said. “Do you think I should invite him in?”

xXxXxXx

He stared out at the empty street, an occasional passer-by hurrying past him under his or her umbrella.

“It doesn’t seem like it will stop raining anytime soon, Phasma,” he commented with a sigh.

He’d been standing there for what felt like an eternity, cursing his trice-damned, broken umbrella. _What a way to spend my day_. He tensed when the door to the shop opened. Was the owner going to shoo him away?

“Do you want to- Is that a _cat_? With a _sweater_? On a _leash_?”

Ben looked over his shoulder to see a young women with brown hair and wearing a white apron stare dumbfounded at Phasma. A ginger cat peaked outside from between her legs and – much to his surprise – Phasma immediately took interest. They both watched as the cats sniffed each other.

“So, uhm,” the woman said, apparently shaking herself out of her surprise, “do you want to come inside?”

“I have no interest in flowers.”

She scowled at him. “Good to know,” she replied snidely. “I was going to offer you some tea, but given that that too is a plant, you’re probably not interested in it either.”

His eyes widened as he realised his mistake. “Wait!” he exclaimed as she made to close the door.

“Yes?”

“I, uhm- It’s just- I didn’t wish to be rude. I’m- Tea would be nice?”

The woman rolled her eyes and opened the door again.

“Come on in then.”

He undid the leash on Phasma’s collar as soon as they were inside and then waited awkwardly by the counter. He could hear her puttering around in the backroom. When she reappeared again, she was holding two steaming cups of tea. He gratefully accepted one.

“So,” she said after they watched the cats interact for a while, “why were you standing under my awning for so long?

“My umbrella is broken.”

She eyed him and he had to fight a blush. “You’re a big man,” she answered, “I think you can stand a bit of rain.”

“Tell that to Phasma,” he snorted.

“Who?”

“My cat. Her name is Phasma.”

“Oh.”

He thought she sounded confused so he elaborated. It wasn’t interesting, but at least it gave him something to say.

“She absolutely hates getting wet. Trying to walk her through the rain would end up in shredded clothes and more cuts than I care to suffer. Usually I would carry her on my arm if it starts raining, but without an umbrella…” He shrugged.

The woman was outright staring at him. “What’s with the kitty sweater?” she asked.

He looked at her, feeling how he was losing the fight against his blush. “It’s cold out.”

“It’s a cat…”

“An indoor cat.”

“What?”

“She keeps me company in my apartment.” He shrugged again. “She’s not used to going outside, so I bought her a sweater to stay warm when I take her for a walk.”

“On a leash.”

“Of course.”

She was looking at him as if he had grown a second head. It irked him.

“At least I take my cat out. I’m guessing yours only lounges around your shop and never even leaves? How unhealthy is that?”

He cringed as soon as the words left his mouth.

“Excuse me? Who the hell do you think you are? I’ll let you know Hux can leave any time through the trap door in the back room.” She looked at her cat affectionately. “Not that he ever does…”

Ben snorted but quickly morphed his face into something resembling contrite when she glared at him.

“Sorry! Sorry! I’m a bit … socially inept.”

She huffed. “Apparently.”

xXxXxXx

Rey sipped her tea and looked back at the cats. They were both lounging in the wicker chair now, curled against one another. “At least they seem to like each other,” she commented.

“I said I’m sorry,” he responded. “Can’t we- Can’t we start over? I’m Ben, by the way.”

She glanced at him. “Rey.”

He gave her a small smile that changed his entire face. “Hi, Rey, nice to meet you.”

That had her rolling her eyes again. She made sure to quirk her lips though, so he would know it was a friendly gesture. He didn’t seem offended.

As he turned to watch the cats as well, Rey took the opportunity to look him up and down. She had to admit, he was good-looking, in an unconventional way – tall, broad, and with hair that could come straight out of a shampoo commercial. His awkward behaviour was actually kind of cute, if you dismissed the rude comments.

“So,” she said, “what are you going to do if it never stops raining?”

A pained expression crossed his face. “I honestly don’t know,” he answered. “I guess I’ll have to risk my sweater, hands, arms, and face.”

Rey laughed and he gave her a wan smile.

“Unless you would agree to letting me sleep here?”

She stared at him, still smiling broadly. “You’re kidding, right?”

“I don’t know; she’s got pretty sharp claws…”

Rey burst out laughing again, once more eying him up and down. She decided she wouldn’t mind getting to know this guy better. It seemed he had more facets about him than she first expected.

“I can borrow you an umbrella, if you want,” she offered.

“Really?”

She shook her head at how enthusiastic he looked.

“Yes, really,” she answered. “But you must promise me to bring it back though. If it’s a sunny day, you can even bring Phasma again.” She winked at him.

He looked towards the snoozing cats and back at her. “I think neither your Hux or my Phasma would mind that.”

Rey looked him in the eye. “I’m getting the same impression.”

Yes, she definitely wanted to get to know this Ben better.


	34. Phantom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 20181101 - [Phantom](https://mannyballu.tumblr.com/post/179207857970/there-are-darknesses-in-life-and-there-are-lights)
> 
> Tags: AU; Phantom of the Opera au

He watched her, no, he stared at her. Mesmerized, that's what he was. Her beauty was incomparable, and her voice – he temporarily closed his eyes to better savour the sound – it was perfection in itself. Such a clear voice with such a richness to it did not belong in the corps; it was meant to sing solo all the time, to sing in the lead. The little side-role she had now did nothing to showcase her talent.

He leaned back in his chair when her voice blended back into the choir. Such a shame. Crossing his legs, he absently fingered his scar. He felt comfortable in the darkness of his box. Even when the lights went on, his box remained perfectly within shadows – some adaptations made by the concert hall thanks to his continued patronage. Not that they knew who he was. He made sure nobody ever saw him arrive or leave.

Only half aware of the rest of the opera, he concocted a plan. Then, he concocted a plan B. If money didn't do the trick, he had ... connections. There were other ways of ensuring he got what he wanted. He always got what he wanted. With a smile, he stood and soundlessly left the opera. There were letters to write and funds to transfer.

xXxXxXx

"Rey!"

She jumped in surprise and felt embarrassed for being caught on stage, staring out to the empty seats. At least, this time, she hadn't been singing.

"Yes, director?" she asked, turning towards the man.

Luke Skywalker was a rather peculiar man with very archaic views of what an opera should be like. Rey guessed this was one of the reasons their opera attracted so many people – for nostalgia's sake. Still, it more often than not created problems for the cast.

"It seems you have caught the eye of our patron. When did you meet him?"

"Meet who? I did what?"

"The concert hall's patron, girl. It seems he got seduced by those pretty eyes of yours."

Rey blinked owlishly at him. "I'm sorry, director, but I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about. I didn't meet anybody outside of the company. What do you mean 'he got seduced’? I most definitely didn't _seduce_ anybody!"

Luke waved a letter in the air. "He promised us a rather large sum of money if we put you in the lead."

"What?!"

"Exactly, so tell me how you met him."

"I- I don't know. As far as I know, I didn't. Perhaps at random on the streets. Or he might have been in the foyer after a show? I don't know."

He regarded her for a while. "It seems you are sincere. Well, we can't change casts for this production, but it seems you just got extraordinarily lucky and got the lead role for the next one. Congratulations, I guess."

Rey stared after him as he left the stage. She got the lead for the next production. Because of a stranger? Who had money? She did not know what to think about it.

xXxXxXx

He was back, staring at her, again. He had come to each and every show of this production. She was glorious, absolutely glorious on stage. She sounded like an angel singing. He couldn't get enough of her.

Initially, he had been angry with the director's reply that he couldn't change the cast immediately, but after his final rage had died down, he'd understood. Still, the sum of money had lessened as a result of the delay.

But now, now she was on stage, singing her heart out and looking even more beautiful than before. He wanted to meet her in person, talk to her, take her hand and feel her skin. The intensity of his need grew with every show he watched. How was he to approach her? How would he ever be able to talk to her? Certainly, she would be disgusted?

He fingered his hated scar. Ever since a child he'd looked unconventional, different, ugly, and this scar had absolutely doomed him. People either looked at him with pity or disgust. It was why he hardly ever did business in person, always sending out his assistants to deal with it or sending letters to convey his commands. He found it amusing that the same scar created respect with his less savoury contacts.

Perhaps when it was dark? Perhaps he could pretend to be part of a show? There must be some way!

xXxXxXx

As usual, she was the last to leave the concert hall. She much preferred the enormous, luxurious building to the ratty room she called her home. Still, Rey had to admit that the concert hall could get creepy when she was the only one left.

With the eerie sense of feeling watched, she hurried from the dressing rooms to the backdoor. Much to her surprise, the door was already locked. Had the janitor forgotten about her tendency to stay late? Uneasy, she started making her way to the main entrance, hoping against all hope that it was still unlocked.

Rey cursed when, in the middle of the backstage labyrinth of the building, all the lights went out. She supressed a shiver of disquiet. Would she really be stuck in the building all night? The idea was quite disconcerting and she hastily started rummaging her bags in an attempt to find something that could light her way.

She froze when, at the end of the hall, a flickering light appeared.

"Is someone there?" a deep, velvety voice asked.

Rey was momentarily stunned by its quality. She was certain she had never heard this voice before, no way would she forget it. She wondered how it would sound when he sung. There was no denying that it would be beautiful.

"Hello?" the voice repeated.

"Uhm, yes, yes, I'm here," Rey quickly said. The flickering light came closer. "Wait," she continued as realisation hit her she was alone with a stranger. "Who are you?"

"I'm part of the backstage crew," the man behind the light answered. Rey could vaguely see his silhouette as he walked closer. He seemed like a tall, broad-shouldered man. "I turned off the lights and thought I heard someone cursing."

"Yes," Rey answered. "That would have been me. The janitor usually leaves the backdoor open for me but it seems he forgot about it tonight. I was heading to the main entrance to try and exit the building there." She paused for a moment as the man moved closer still. Light flickered across his face but he seemed to keep himself slightly averted. "I thought I knew everybody from the backstage crew."

"Well," the stranger answered, "I mostly work in the shadow so you might have missed me."

She didn't believe him but figured that, had he wanted to attack her, he would have already done so.

"Shall I escort you out?" he asked.

"I would appreciate that."

She was both shocked and surprised when he suddenly grabbed her hand. His hand was large – practically dwarfing hers – but warm and dry. Again, she wondered who he truly was.

"Is this the right way?" she asked when he turned left where she thought they would have to turn right.

"The door next to the loading bay should still be unlocked. If not, I have the key."

"Uhm, okay."

He turned towards her and she thought she saw a smile curl his lips. Then, he quickly looked away again, as if he didn't want her to fully see his face.

"Don't be nervous," he said, amusement clear in his voice. "I have no intent on hurting you."

Even though Rey believed him, she felt there was a strange sort of intimacy in the way he had spoken those words. She was confused about whether or not it made her feel more or less secure with the man.

"What's your name?" she finally asked to dispel the silence. Her question seemed to startle him.

"Uhm," he hesitated. "Kylo, my name is Kylo."

"Are you sure?" she teased while wondering why he wouldn't be willing to give her his real name.

"Quite," he grouched.

Rey laughed and missed the surprised glance he threw her way. "If you say so," she allowed, still sniggering.

xXxXxXx

He was making a fool out of himself, certainly! Her laugh only confirmed it. Still, somehow, her laugh hadn't sound mocking, rather, it had sounded amused. Glancing her way, he discovered she looked even more beautiful while laughing to her heart's content. He hoped he could see it more often. He hoped he could trick her in the darkness on several nights.

He held her small hand in his as if it was a delicate flower. He knew she had strength, he had seen some of the feats she'd done to help the stage crew when the director wasn't present, but to him, she was precious. Just to have her next to him, talk to him, trust him to guide her, it was a heady feeling.

It pained him that they were already nearing the loading bay. If only the building was bigger; he could have spent more time with her. Nevertheless, he guided her to the door upon arrival.

"Here we are," he said, trying not to let his disappointment colour his voice. With regret, he let go of her hand and opened the door, making sure the right side of his face was kept hidden. "Enjoy the rest of your evening, Rey."

"You know my name!" she exclaimed.

He huffed a small laugh. "With a voice as beautiful as yours, how could I ever forget it?"

Even in the dim candlelight, he could see her blushing. She averted her eyes and shuffled her feet.

"Thank you for escorting me out, Kylo," she answered. "Aren't you going home as well? Perhaps we'll be going in the same direction?"

"There, uhm-" He hadn't expected her to ask such a question. "I still have a couple of things to check in here. Don't let me keep you."

"Oh, okay." She sounded disappointed. "Well, good night then. I hope to see you around."

"Good night, Rey."

He closed the door behind her and leaned against it. She was more, better, than he'd ever imagined. _His_ Rey. Yes, he would definitely make her his.

 


	35. Promise of a Prince

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 20181119 - [Promise of a Prince](https://bb-8.tumblr.com/post/179552382140/i-think-we-deserve-a-soft-epilogue-my-love)  
> The prompt was a gif of the Force bond scene where Kylo is gloriously without shirt.
> 
> Tags: Smut; Medieval AU

She smiled as she saw him emerge from between the trees. He was looking for her, craning his neck to survey the area.

They weren’t supposed to meet. They were never supposed to meet. He wasn’t even supposed to know who she was, yet, there was a mutual attraction neither of them could deny.

She enjoyed watching him without him realising it. He was only wearing a jacket and he hadn’t bothered closing it, inadvertently showing off his chiselled chest and abs. His pants hung low on his hips. Considering his apparel, she figured he’d escaped sword training in order to come find her.

Taking advantage of the fact that he still hadn’t spotted her, she silently swum to the edge of the pond. It was a hot day, so she’d decided to go for a swim without waiting for him. Smiling mischievously, she suddenly rose up and splashed him with water.

He spluttered and jumped backwards, causing her to erupt in giggles.

“There you are!” he exclaimed.

“Come, join me!” she invited, beaming at him. “The water is absolutely marvellous.”

He grinned. “I would appreciate it much more if you would come out and greet me.”

She stuck out her tongue, very much aware of how she would look with her undergarments plastered against her body. “No!” she teased. “You come and get me.”

“And what would my reward be?” He was already shrugging out of his jacket.

Laughing, she watched as he reached for his boots next. “The refreshing experience of cool water on a hot day.”

“I don’t think,” he was walking towards her, into the water, “that I’ll be satisfied with that.” Once he reached her, he gently cupped her face. “Rey.”

She stood up – she had been submerged to her neck, enjoying the cool – and with some smugness, she notices his eyes flicker downwards. His free hand came to rest on her hip, pulling her closer to him.

“Ben,” she answered him, putting her hands against his chest and tilting her face up.

He answered her invitation immediately, softly pressing his lips to hers. Her arms slid around him, pulling him closer, feeling the taut muscles in his back. He started backing up, back towards the shore, and she willingly followed. Once there, she allowed him to guide them to the ground, his thigh between her legs, his body half covering hers.

“How much time have you got?” she asked him between kisses.

“About an hour, I think,” he answered, his mouth moving to kiss her neck.

“We can’t keep meeting like this.”

Ben sighed, his kisses following the neckline of her dress. “My position is not yet strong enough to introduce you. I’m sorry, Rey, I need more time.”

She arched her back as his free hand found her breast and started massaging it. “I thought you said your parents wouldn’t mind.”

“No, they wouldn’t.” He pushed himself up to look at her. Rey couldn’t resist the lure and started combing her hands through his hair. She sighed as he kissed her wrist. “But my uncle would. He’s still fighting Snoke and is hell-bent on marrying me off to some noblewoman. He believes anything less would weaken our position too much.”

“So I’m a liability to you?” she asked, feeling like she should let him go; that she should not hinder him in any way. She loved him – even though she still had to admit it out loud – and she wanted the best for him. It would hurt her, but their dalliances had been doomed to begin with. She was nothing; she knew that – an orphan maid raised by the household.

“No!” he protested, squeezing her hip hard. “No, Rey, don’t ever say that. You are my everything – the reason I can keep up with the endless politics. You are my strength, my conscious.” He kissed her. “Let me show you,” he whispered against her lips, “just how much you mean to me.”

He nibbled her lower lip, before letting his tongue slip into her mouth and slide along hers. Rey moaned. Nobody kissed her like Ben did. There had been some shy kisses with some stable boys, but it didn’t even come close to how Ben seemed to possess her.

She wriggled as he tugged at the wet fabric of her underdress, managing to pull the wide neckline to just under her breasts. The air chilled her flesh and she could feel her nipples pebble.

“Ben,” she sighed.

“I know, love.”

A cry escaped her lips as his hot mouth enveloped one of her nipples, the feeling shooting straight to her lower belly and causing her to grind herself against his thigh. She hardly registered how he chuckled before moving to her other breast, too lost in the sensation.

When he moved away from her, she mewled in protest. Opening her eyes, she watched him crawl down her body to grab the hem of her wet skirt. They both laughed as the fabric stubbornly clung to her legs. When they finally managed to bunch it around her waist, he moved up to kiss her again.

She moaned as her breasts brushed against his chest. It still surprised her how much she trusted him, how at ease and safe she felt around him. After all, the first time she met him – when he had just returned from several years of studying with his uncle – she had been dead scared of him. His dark eyes had taken her in with an intensity that had shook her to the bone.

However, once she got to know the son of the Solo household, she had begrudgingly started to like him. Underneath the dark and rough exterior was a much gentler person; someone she was intrigued by.

Impatient and turned on by his kisses and caresses, she wrapped her legs around his hips and pulled him closer. She wanted to feel the weight of his body on hers. More, she wanted to feel him inside her.

“I want you,” she whispered to him.

Rey bit her lip in anticipation as he groaned at her words, his pupils dilating. After one more, almost rough, kiss, he reached between them and opened the fly of his trousers. She mewled as he slid inside her, slid home. Her hands roamed down his back to cup his ass; to feel it clench and unclench as he moved inside her.

“My Rey,” he whispered against her neck. “My sweet, beautiful Rey.” He moved and she had to stifle a cry as his hand palmed her breast again, his fingers eliciting sweet torture on her nipple. “It won’t be long now,” he murmured, planting a kiss at the corner of her mouth. She moved her head to kiss him fully. “I promise, you won’t have to wait much longer,” he whispered against her lips.

After that, they lost themselves in each other. Rey felt fully enveloped by him – warm skin and strong muscle protecting her against the harshness of the world. He hit every sweet spot inside her and she met his thrusts one by one. It wasn’t long before she felt herself starting to quiver, her body tensing.

“Ben,” she moaned.

“I know, Rey, I feel it. Let go.”

She exploded around him, her fist in her mouth to prevent her screaming and alerting anybody about their presence. As she was coming down from her high, she heard Ben grunting in her neck as he, too, reached his release.

He all but flopped down on her. She didn’t mind bearing his weight for a bit.

“My Rey,” he whispered, “my lovely Rey.”

He shifted to the side and she felt bereft as he slipped out of her. Ben gently started tracing his fingers over her face and she closed her eyes, basking in the tender attention.

“I’ll do whatever it takes,” he said. She turned her head to look at him. “I’ll do whatever it takes to have you by my side. Even if it means killing Snoke myself.” He kissed her lightly on the forehead. “Whatever it takes.”


	36. Undercover Operation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 20181126 - [Undercover Operation](http://clara-gemm.tumblr.com/image/178387265989)
> 
> Tags: Matt the Radar Technician

“Uhm, Rey? I have to tell you something.”

“Hmm?”

They were sitting in a dingy, ‘no questions asked’ bar at a remote planet. Ever since their plan to take down the First Order from the inside out had failed, Rey and he had joined forces.

They weren’t exactly part of the Resistance – their tactics falling into a grey area the Resistance still considered too dark – but information reached them at a regular basis. Most of it was transferred through Finn and Poe, but Rey had told him she was convinced that the occasional stray message actually came from Leia herself.

Kylo swallowed. “Do you remember the story you told me from when you infiltrated the _Supremacy_?”

“When I met that radar technician? What was his name? Matt?” Rey smiled at the memory.

“Yes, well, about Matt…”

“What about him?”

“Well, uhm, that was me… In a disguise…”

“What?!” Rey’s outcry turned some heads and she quickly lowered her voice. “What do you mean ‘that was you’?”

He noticed himself fidget and quickly clenched his hands together.

“Well, that day, I noticed your Force signature come closer and then arrive on the ship. I knew you wouldn’t want to talk to me as me, but I wanted to see you. So I, uhm, disguised myself and went looking for you.”

Rey was blinking at him and he waited, apprehensive about how she would react. Finally, she scowled.

“I can’t believe you let me on your ship!” she grumbled. “I really thought I had infiltrated it!”

“For what it’s worth,” he said, “I’m the only one who noticed. I didn’t tell anybody and nobody raised the alarm.”

She scoffed. “I guess that will have to suffice then.” Rey looked at him again, curiosity clear in her brown eyes. “Why tell me now?”

“I still have the outfit.”

Her expression shifted from comical, to confused, to bafflement.

“You want to roleplay?”

“No!” He could feel his ears turning pink. “No. Well, not as Matt.” She gave him a crooked grin. “I thought we could use it for our next target.”

“Oh.” He could see the wheels turning in her head. “Oh! That- That could actually work.”

“Always the surprise,” he muttered. “I did rule an intergalactic empire, you know.”

Rey crawled onto his lap – hardly a strange occurrence given the bar they were frequenting – and gave him a kiss.

“You know I didn’t mean it that way.”

He wrapped an arm around her waist and put his hand on her knee, pulling her closer so she could feel what her presence on his lap did to him. She hummed and moved to kiss him again. For a long moment, they merely enjoyed each other’s lips, until Kylo pulled back.

“If we do this any longer, I won’t be able to stop,” he murmured in her ear.

Rey giggled and shuffled back to her seat next to him.

“So, how do you want to go about it?”

“I was thinking you could get yourself recruited. Your face isn’t as known as mine, and if anybody does recognise you, you can make them forget.”

He smiled as Rey grinned at him. She had long lost that almost naïve and innocent look about her. A sense of wickedness had crept into her character, making her infinitely sexier.

“You could get a feel of the lay-out and who exactly is in charge. Once we have all the necessary information, I bluff my way in as Matt and we take them down.”

“Simple,” Rey said. “I like it.” There was a stretch of silence as they both thought about what could go wrong. “Where will you stay while I’m at the Base?”

“There’s a town not far from it.”

“But it will be teeming with Troopers and First Order personnel!”

He smiled at her. “I’ll manage.”

“You know I hate it when you put yourself in danger to stay close to me.”

“And I know you secretly like it as well.”

Rey merely huffed in response, taking a sip from the drink that she’d been neglecting for too long.

xXxXxXx

A full two weeks later, Kylo found himself donning Matt’s outfit and persona. It was already well past midnight when he walked towards the Base’s personnel entrance and the two Troopers guarding it.

“Identification,” one of them barked.

Kylo lowered his gaze, trying to seem meek and awkward.

“Uhm, I’ve, uhm, lost it?”

“You _lost_ your identification?”

Kylo merely fidgeted in response.

“I don’t think I’ve seen you here before,” the second Trooper commented.

“I’m new,” Kylo quickly reassured him. “You know, part of the new crew that was hired a week and a half ago?”

The Troopers glanced at each other.

“Let’s check with the quarter master,” the first one suggested.

“Please don’t!” Kylo quickly pleaded. “I’m, uhm, not exactly supposed to be out.”

“You’re not supposed to be out?” Mistrust was obvious in the Trooper’s voice.

Kylo scratched the back of his neck and scuffled his feet again. “Well, it’s, uhm- I went to visit a lady friend.”

There was a moment of silence before the first Trooper started laughing.

“A lady friend, huh? She must be pretty damn good for you to risk sneaking out.” He laughed freely and his companion joined him. “Hey, you wouldn’t mind sharing with us, would you?”

Kylo had to stifle his oncoming rage at the suggestion. “Well,” he managed to ground out, “I think you ought to ask her that.”

“We sure will, buddy,” the Trooper answered. “We sure will.” He opened the door. “Now in you go. Good luck with explaining how you lost your badge.”

Kylo gave him a rueful smile in return and walked into the Base. Rey was waiting for him around the corner.

“Meeting a lady friend?” she asked him mockingly in greeting.

“I’m meeting one now, aren’t I?” he answered, before kissing her. “I missed you,” he whispered.

“I missed you too. Now, let’s get on with destructing this Base.”

He took a deep breath, drawing on both sides of the Force. Next to him, he could feel Rey do the same. They met each other’s gazes with equally ferocious grins.

“After you, my little devil,” he said with a small incline of his head.

Humming under her breath, Rey lead the way through the Base’s maze of corridors.

Roughly an hour and a half later, they were speeding away from the burning compound on a stolen half-moon bike, both high on their victory. When they finally stopped near their space ship and Rey pulled him around for a passionate kiss, Kylo easily succumbed. They loved each other, and they made one hell of a team.


	37. Betrayal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 20181203 - [Betrayal](https://reyloblivion.tumblr.com/post/179900483061/i-based-this-off-of-an-epix-leak-from-a-week-ago)
> 
> Tags: War; Betrayal, Angst

She was running. Running like crazy. Jumping over debris, skirting dead bodies, furiously blinking the smoke out of her eyes. Where was he? Where had he gone?

Someone appeared from the smoke and she cut him down. She didn’t care who he or she was, didn’t care which side they fought for. She needed to find him, get to him. Where was he?

The impact from a laser canon split open the ground beside her and threw her through the air. The impact of her landing pushed all of her breath out of her lungs. Her ears were ringing and she could taste blood in her mouth. Well, more blood, the taste had been there before. At least, right at this moment, she was certain it was her own blood she tasted.

As quick as she could, she scrambled to her feet. Where was he?

The chaos was complete. Fires burned all around her. Voices were screaming – either in battle cries or in horrendous pain. She wasn’t completely sure she could distinguish which was which. There was the constant noise of blasters and canons going off. The smoke obscured everything and created macabre shadow plays. Faces passed as she ran. None were his though. Where was he?

How had everything gone so wrong? She cut down another fighter. Along the way, she had become a target for all, so she made a target of everybody. It pained her, but the betrayal burned brighter. Where was he?

It was supposed to be a peace meeting. A meeting between two parties in order to find common ground; to end it all. They had convinced each other it would work. They had traded information freely, searching and finding a strategy, a meeting point between two visions that were somehow alike but executed completely different.

How they had been betrayed.

Where _was_ he? She needed to find him. Needed to know he was still alive. Where _was_ he?

With bright eyes and wide smiles, they had met in the middle of  a field. She hadn’t seen him for so long. The sound of his voice was somehow better, sweeter, more _him_ when she heard it in person instead of through their Bond. He had said her name. Like a prayer. Like hope.

Each had a small group of faction leaders behind them – witnesses – but they met in the middle, alone, because there was some symbolism to it. Both had felt so alone for so long.

“We did it,” he had said.

It was then that she had caught movement behind him. With a mighty shove, she caused the both of them to tumble to the ground just as Hux pulled the trigger and a blaster bolt shot over their heads.

Rey had jumped up, immediately prepared to calm down the Resistance member’s reaction. She didn’t want to think about how Poe had raised his own blaster, how he had calmly stated ‘they’re the enemy, thank you for bringing them’, before trying to shoot her.

The memory made her stumble. Pain shot through her like she had been stabbed by a spear. She didn’t want to be alone anymore. She wasn’t alone. At least not if he was still alive. But he was, he couldn’t be dead. She would have felt it. _Where was he?_

Kylo – her Ben – had frozen the blaster bolt that had been aimed for her heart. Suddenly, ships from both sides had appeared in the air, and after a lazy command from Hux – quickly followed by one of Poe – a battle had begun raging in the sky.

“What’s going on?” she had screamed above the roar of engines.

“They’ve betrayed us,” Kylo had answered. He had truly been Kylo at that moment; the darkness had been rising steadily since Hux’s shot. She could feel it. She hadn’t wanted to stop it. She felt it herself.

“They’re the enemy, and you’re fraternizing with them. You’re a liability. But you provided us with good information,” Poe answered, a menacing grin on his face.

“As if we would make a treaty with scum such as you,” Hux yelled at the same time, sneering. “Kylo Ren lost his way a long time ago. He’s not fit to rule!”

Ships had started crashing down, fire was being aimed at the ground, and they were forced to evacuate. Things had quickly turned into an all-time stand-off. What the Resistance lacked in numbers, they made up in clever tactics and sneak attacks. All of it was aimed at the weaknesses Ben had provided in order to gain trust.

They had been betrayed.

They’d gotten separated during the battle.

Where was he?

It didn’t take long before Rey figured out both parties wanted her dead. She figured the same counted for Ben. They were unwanted. They were considered traitors. They were alone, together, again.

A steady red light caught her attention. She’d been wrong before. She didn’t care. He was worth every risk she took.

“Ben!” she shouted into the smoke, coughing on the following inhale.

“Rey!”

His voice seemed to come from everywhere around her. Direction was hopeless in the chaos. She moved towards the patch of reddened smoke and suddenly his silhouette appeared in front of her. She would recognise him everywhere.

“Ben!” she cried out. She didn’t realise she had started crying until the salt of her tears stung a cut in her cheek.

“Rey!”

He sounded relieved, human, less like the angry Force Demon he had become right after the betrayal. The red of his saber was extinguished at the same moment as hers, both moving towards one another, needing to touch, needing to reassure they were both still alive.

They hugged and sunk to their knees. He cupped the back of her head and she cried against his shoulder. How had it all gone so wrong? How was it possible they had betrayed her so badly? Why were they fighting? Why didn’t they want peace? Did the hate truly run so deep?

Ben kissed her temple. His shoulders were sagged, his posture tired and defeated. They had both worked so hard, all for nothing. He had put all his hope in it. Hope for a better future; a better life than what he’d had up until then. She knew he was seeing it all go up in smoke – literally. It made her cry even harder.

Rey barely noticed the other figures silhouette in the smoke. She didn’t notice them come closer. All she knew was that they had failed. All she knew was that she had managed to find Ben, that she was holding onto him for dear life, and that she never wanted to let go.

He shifted slightly, twisting his upper body. She moved with him. Her brain was shutting down. She couldn’t take it anymore, she didn’t want to. She wanted to fight, but she doubted there was anything left fighting for. Except Ben. She would always fight for him. Always. And they were about to die.

Snarling, she refused to give up. No longer caring about anything else but keeping Ben and herself alive, she reached for the Force and snapped the necks of whoever it was that was approaching through the smoke.

Ben pulled back and looked at her. She caressed his cheek, pushing back his blood-soaked hair.

“I want to be with you,” she said.

Ben smiled, some of Kylo’s light returning to his eyes. “Then let us be together, and away from them,” he said, standing and igniting his saber. “Let’s cleave our own path.”


	38. Illicit Encounter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 20190114 - [Illicit Encounter](https://www.tumbex.com/solarfugue.tumblr/post/141827424443)
> 
> Tags: Smut, Explicit content

“Room 214. The entire floor is secure. Trick the guards.”

Rey smiled and stood, absentmindedly tossing coins on the bar to pay for the drink she had barely touched. The barkeeper would hardly notice. It wasn’t such an unusual occurrence in the bars of the lower regions of Coruscant.

She slung her staff over her shoulder and made her way out of the bar and unto the crowded street. There was no need to answer him; he knew she would come. It wasn’t the first time they met up like this.

Soon, she was eyeing the tall, luxurious building from across the street.

‘Room?’ she thought to herself. ‘The entire floor is secure? These isn’t a hotel that rents rooms! Apartments, that’s how you call them!’

She figured there were three per floor, which meant she had to go a long way up with the elevators. If she was even allowed inside. If she could bypass the guard trying his best not to look suspicious and absolutely failing at it.

With a sigh, Rey decided to search for the back entrance. She hated Mind tricking common people, but this was a _special_ occasion. With only the barest touch of the Force, she tricked an employee to leave the door wide open so she could follow him in.

It took her a while to find her way through the maze of hallways undetected, but finally she found the door to the lobby. Lifting her chin high, putting an arrogant look on her face, she walked into the grand room and headed for the elevators. It earned her a couple of confused looks, but nobody dared halt her. Still, it was with relief that she watched the elevator doors slide close after she pushed the button to the 72nd floor.

Rey scrunched up her nose in joy as the elevator propelled her upwards. Only a couple of minutes and she would see him again. The guards in the hallway would be inconsequential; easy to deal with. That part had only gone wrong once. It had been quite a nasty scene.

A ‘ping’ told her she had arrived and when the door opened, she was met with two Troopers holding electrified, long-range tasers. Rey almost laughed. She smiled at them and their surprised reactions, easily seeking out their minds and making them unable to see her. _He_ would fix them back up later.

She had barely knocked on the door when it swung open.

“Tasers?” she asked by way of greeting. “Really?”

Kylo grinned at her, his gaze as intense as ever. “As to not damage hotel property,” he answered before stepping forward and cupping her cheek. “Rey,” he sighed.

“Ben.” She reached up, carding her fingers through his hair and following the line of his jaw. “It’s been too long.”

There was a moment of heavy tension between them before Kylo pulled her inside and slammed the door behind her. Her staff dropped to the ground. His mouth descended on hers as if kissing her was the only thing keeping him alive. Her back slammed against the wall, but she barely noticed, kissing him back with an equal amount of passion.

They both pulled back, out of air. Kylo rested his forehead against hers, tenderly stroking her cheeks.

“You’re here,” he murmured. “You came.”

“How can you still doubt that after all this time, Ben?”

He shrugged, almost imperceptible. “I promised you change and I’ve still not made it happen. It’s too slow going.”

“But it _is_ happening,” she answered. She gave him a light peck on the lips. “Let’s talk about this later, Ben. I’ve been missing you for too long.”

His eyes darkened and he kissed her again, less wild then before but still full of passion. He easily picked her up and she wrapped her legs around him. They didn’t make it far before he pressed her against another wall. One strong arm easily supported while he fumbled with the top buttons of her shirt to get to her breasts.

Rey sucked in a breath when he finally succeeded and squeezed her right breast, leaning in to flick his tongue against her nipple. He wrapped his mouth around it, sucking slightly, while continuing kneading with his hand. She moaned and arched against him, losing patience, needing, wanting.

“Fuck!” he exclaimed against her hot skin.

“Ben,” she answered. “Give me more.”

Growling, he picked her up again, only to drop her into the nearest armchair. Rey squeaked in surprise but he didn’t pay it any attention, all but yanking her boots off and making quick work of her pants. He suddenly halted his frantic movements. With impossibly dark eyes, he stared at her exposed flesh while worrying his lips. His hands trailed excruciating slow up her legs.

“Ben,” Rey begged.

He snapped out of his reverie and looked at her, a crooked sort of smile playing around his lips. Without breaking eye-contact, he lowered himself, huffing a breath over her already slick flesh.

She fisted a hand in his hair. “Don’t. Tease!”

He grinned and wrapped his lips around her clit, sucking at it. Rey moaned, unconsciously bucking her hips. Pinning her down with one hand, trapping her arm with the other, Kylo started licking up and down her slit. Mewling, Rey released her death grip on his hair and gently started pulling the strands. It wasn’t long before she was panting. He knew her body too well.

“I want you,” she breathed. “I want _you_.”

He came up, leaning over her for another heated kiss. She could taste herself on his lips and loved it. When he pulled back, a wicked thought came over her.

“Strip,” she commanded. Kylo eyed her. “Strip,” she repeated. “I want to see you.”

He stepped back. The intensity in his eyes made her squirm in her seat. One hand found its way to her exposed breast while the other started playing with her clit. His lips parted as he stared at her.

She stopped her movements. “Get rid of the clothes, Ben.”

He smacked his lips and started undoing his belt. Slowly, gently, Rey started massaging her breast again, rewarding his actions. She stared at him as one by one his clothes disappeared, revealing first his wide chest and his abs, then his strong legs, and finally his erection. It was standing in full attention, dripping precum.

Rey couldn’t help herself. She slid off the chair and kneeled in front of him, taking the tip of his erection in her mouth. Kylo gasped, throwing his head back. One hand still playing with her clit, Rey cupped his balls and licked up and down his length. She loved making him fall apart like that. This big, strong man moaning and grunting at her actions.

After indulging her for some time, he roughly grabbed her by her arms and pulled her up. Without pause, he threw her over his shoulder, causing Rey to shriek and laugh. He ignored her pounding his back and strode to the bedroom, where he dropped her on the bed.

Rey shrugged off her vest while he made quick work of the still closed buttons of her shirt. As soon as she was naked, he pushed her down.

“Force, Rey,” he murmured, nuzzling her cheek and planting kisses along her jaw.

She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and hooked a leg behind his knee, effectively pulling him down.

“Fuck me, Ben,” she said.

With a grunt, he guided himself to her entrance. Slowly, as if savouring every bit of it, he slid inside her. Rey moaned, arching into him. They both stilled, revelling in finally being joined again.

Then, Kylo started to move. Slow at first but quickly picking up speed. He leaned down to kiss her, weight on one arm so he could fondle her breast. Their legs entwined, Reys hands dragged up and down his back as she met each of his thrust.

Their Bond opened until it was impossible to tell where one began and the other ended. They enveloped each other. Their hearts beat their frantic pace in sync. Breaths mingled and moans were shared.

Together, they reached their peak.

Kylo lowered himself, careful not to put too much weight on her but reluctant to slip out of her warmth.

“Rey,” he said.

She nuzzled against him. “Hi,” she answered.

“I missed you, my love.”

“I missed you too, Ben. I love you.”

Rey yawned, feeling safe and secure in Kylo’s arms. She knew she had to leave again in the morning; sneak out the way she sneaked in. Right at that moment, however, she refused to think about it. Ben was holding her. He loved her like she loved him and that love was all she needed to keep going. Change was coming and, along with it, peace.


	39. Medieval tricks

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 20190121 - [Medieval tricks](http://cody-fern.tumblr.com/post/182172619826)  
> Left gif on the fourth row
> 
> Tags: Medieval AU

He rode his horse to its fullest, spurring it on, faster, faster. The poor animal was near death from exhaustion, but Ben didn’t really care. There were more important things.

The wind pulled at his hair. He was sweating almost as profusely as his horse. Snoke’s laughter was still ringing in his ears, his last words echoing through his head.

“You think you’re victorious, boy? You think you’ve won? Do you really think I don’t know about her? You think she’s safe where she is? That I won’t reach for her even after my death?”

His laughter had then turned into gurgling, his body slumping  to the side as his eyes glazed over. Ben had all but ignored the remaining guards who brandished their swords. He had turned and bolted from the room, mounting his horse and driving it near death in order to reach Naboo castle as quickly as he could.

Upon his arrival, he jumped down and threw the reins to a startled stable boy, before flat-out running into the castle. Out of breath, he scanned the Great Hall. There! There she was. Unharmed. He heaved a relieved sigh and stared at her. She was safe. Snoke had lied. She was safe.

As if feeling his presence from among the group of ladies in waiting, Rey turned her head and spotted him. Her lips curled into a gentle smile, before a slight frown marred her forehead. She tilted her head, obviously wondering about his appearance. He tried to offer her a smile.

xXxXxXx

“Rey!”

Rey spooked slightly and quickly curtsied to the queen. 

“You haven’t heard a word I said, girl,” the queen admonished. “Whatever has caught your attention?”

“Forgive me, my Queen,” Rey apologised with another curtsy. “It seems your son has returned.”

“My son?” Leia exclaimed. “Then why has he not presented himself to me yet?”

Rey glanced back towards Ben. “I believe he’s on his way, my Queen.”

Two breaths later, Ben was standing almost next to her. She tried her best not to stare, not to wonder about what his look earlier had meant.

“By the Force, Ben!” Leia gasped. “You’re still covered in sweat and dust. Whatever has gotten into you to enter the Great Hall looking like  _ that _ ?”

“I hastened here after picking up a worrisome rumour. Luckily it appeared to be false. It’s good to see you too, Mother.”

Rey inwardly cringed. For all their good intentions, neither mother nor son were very good at communicating with one another.

“Yes, Ben,” Leia answered, “it’s good to see you. Now go take that bath.”

Ben bowed lightly and turned away. His eyes connected briefly with Rey’s and she could see a plethora of emotions in them. Then, the moment passed and he was striding away.

“Rey.”

“Yes, my Queen?”

The woman was looking at her with speculation in her eyes. Rey tried her best not to squirm or look in any way guilty.

“I received a gift from the court of Coruscant a couple days back,” Leia continued. “It’s somewhere in my room. Among the many trinkets there were a couple of fresh smelling bars of soap. The green ones were intended for the king -” all surrounding ladies tensed at the mention of dangerous topic number one “- but since he’s out hunting again, I doubt he’ll mind if I give it away. Be a dear, go find it and bring it to my son. He looked like he has need for it.”

Rey couldn’t believe her luck. “Yes, my Queen,” she agreed.

She managed to prevent her smile from breaking out until she reached the empty hallways. It didn’t take her long to find the soaps mentioned and she all but floated towards Ben’s rooms. There were no sentries at the door. Obviously, he had neglected to mention his return to more than one person. Rey smiled at his grumbling when she knocked. His scowl quickly melted away when he saw her standing there.

“Rey!” he breathed, immediately gathering her in his arms.

“Ben,” she squealed. “We’re in the middle of the hallway. Anybody could see us!” She protested more out of decorum than anything else. His arms were strong around her and she loved how safe she felt in them. It didn’t matter he was still covered in sweat and dirt.

“Fuck them,” he said against her hair. Rey frowned at his coarse language. “Let them see,” he continued. “I’m done hiding us from the court.”

That made her frown even more. Go public? Let them know the Prince was courting a lady in waiting?

“What happened, Ben?” she asked.

He dragged her into his room and closed the door, ignoring her protests.

“This is completely inappropriate!” she squealed, feeling her cheeks burn. Part of her, however, was thrilled at being so alone with him. Her life in the castle tended to be quite boring and she felt daring and excited at doing something so completely forbidden.

“I thought you were being attacked,” he murmured as he sat down on his bed and pulled her in his lap. “I’m not even entirely sure you’re out of danger.”

“Why would I be in danger?”

“Snoke knew about you.”

“Who?”

He sighed, dragging a hand through his hair.

“Do you remember when I told you I got into a bit of trouble?” He waited until Rey nodded. “His name is — well  _ was _ — Snoke. He promised me a lot of things. A name for myself, among other things.”

Rey gently cupped his cheek and he leaned into it. “How did he promise that?” she asked, knowing how much his name was a burden to him.

“It doesn’t matter; what he promised was not what he was planning. I was to become one of his minions. He wanted to use my name to gather power to himself. Once I figured it out, I couldn’t simply walk away.” He looked at her, eyes burning. “I killed him,” he said fiercely. “Even if I had managed to leave, he would have still been a threat to the family, so I killed him. But when he was dying, he said he knew about you. He said you weren’t safe.”

Rey leaned in and planted a soft kiss on his lips, trying to banish the wild look in his eyes. “Nothing has happened,” she murmured, “and he can’t reach us here.”

“I want to believe you,” he answered. “Why are you here, actually? Weren’t you waiting on my mother?”

“Oh, right!” Rey started digging in her skirts. She had added some hidden pockets to them, even though the court frowned upon it. “You mother ordered me to bring you some soap.”

Ben smiled a wry smile. “How subtle.”

The door to his quarters opened abruptly and they jumped apart — Rey stumbling and Ben automatically catching her. They stared as Leia appeared in the doorway. She marched in and closed the door behind her.

“Mother,” Ben greeted warily.

“There’s blood on your pants,” she commented, not even sparing a glance in Rey’s direction. “Does that mean you did away with that Snoke guy?”

Rey watched as Ben paled.

“You know about him?”

“There isn’t much I don’t know,” she answered, her eyes sliding towards Rey. Ben tensed. “First, tell me. Is he dead?”

“Yes.”

“Good. Now, what are you planning to do with this one?”

Her words were accompanied with a sharp nod in Rey’s direction. Ben stepped in front of her, as if shielding her.

“I have seduced Rey,” he stated firmly. “Any punishment should fall upon me.”

Leia huffed a laugh. “I think the seducing nicely went both ways,” she stated, glancing from one to the other before giving Ben a piercing look. “That does not answer my question.”

Rey didn’t dare speak a word, fearing she might get kicked out of the castle and back- No, she would not dare contemplate that.

“Are you serious, mother?” Ben asked.

“Are you?”

There was a short, tense silence.

“Yes,” Ben finally said. “Yes, I am.” He turned to face Rey. “Like I said, I’m done hiding,” he stated, taking her hands in his. “Be my wife, Rey? Join me?”

Rey stared up at him, at his earnest face and the nervousness in his eyes.

“Yes,” she said. “Yes, I would love too, but-” She glanced around him towards Leia.

“Finally!” the queen proclaimed. “You two have been so damn sneaky that I had to have Rey bring you soap to catch you.  _ Soap. _ ”

Both Ben and Rey dumbly stared at her.

“What?” Leia asked. “You were sneaky, but not enough to evade my notice!” She gave them a smug smile. “We’ll have to start planning the wedding. At least it gives us something to look forward too, instead of sitting on our ass all day. Now, come on, Rey. It’s improper to be in an unmarried man’s room. Out! Out!”

Perplexed, Rey followed her out, vaguely listening to her mentions of colours and fabrics. 

Two months later, she found herself agreeing to love Ben in good days and bad. Things had progressed quickly, but she didn’t mind. What had once seemed an illicit dream was now reality. Looking at the man she loved, she knew her future was bright.


	40. Finding Safety

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 20190128 - [Finding Safety](https://66.media.tumblr.com/3b077689d83008cbcd82c095d4f24cc4/tumblr_p2rrybYC0A1uickp9o1_500.jpg)

Near panic, he searched the streets of Tuanul. He realised he stood out in his black clothes and his hood turned up, but he hadn’t had the chance to find something else. Stopping had been too dangerous. It was dangerous to come here, dangerous to follow this gut-feeling. More so, by coming here, he was _bringing_ danger to the city.

But still he searched for what he had felt, for a refuge.

He had been so stupid to trust the voice in his head. So, so stupid. Promises of a better tutor, of true friends instead of a constant reminder not to care, promise of importance; it had all been whispered in his ear along with comments that made him turn against everything he loved.

At the time, he hadn’t noticed he was being led to the Dark. No, he had merely believed those of the Light did not care for his wellbeing. Now, he knew that those two were one and the same.

A lesson he had learned once it was too late.

Luke had sensed his rising darkness and had betrayed him. It had cemented the doubt that he had already carried in his heart. It had turned him completely towards the Dark from which Luke had tried to protect him. His former mentor had failed.

But his new mentor, Snoke, hadn’t been what he had promised either. The promise to make him strong seemed to consist out of seeing how much pain he could endure. The only friend he was supposed to have was his mentor himself, like a dog would love its master. Importance equalled being feared.

Still, he had followed, not knowing what else to do, now knowing where else to turn. It had felt great to have someone acknowledge his power instead of fearing it. He had learned so much in such a short amount of time. There had been no other option, as failure often ended in torture.

They had dubbed him Kylo Ren. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to be that person. He didn’t know who he was anymore.

And then, another voice had found him. The sense of déjà-vu had caused him to reject it immediately. Yet, it had been relentless, and when he had been curled up in pain, the voice of the woman had soothed him.

She had only made one promise: that his life would be better. There was no promise of power, no promise of glory, only a better, more peaceful life. He hadn’t know what to think of it. As time went on, however, the prospect had seemed more and more appealing.

The person Snoke wanted him to be, that wasn’t who he was. Yes, he felt hate. Yes, he felt anger. But to wrap it around him as a weapon and use it to harm others? Emerge himself fully into it? No, he’d rather not.

He had told her so, that voice in his head. Perhaps that had been another mistake. Still, she had given him coordinates and promised him a home if he managed to escape.

So escape he did.

He had deliberately crashed his stolen ship in the desert, hoping the sand would quickly swallow it up. The sun had been relentless, yet he had feared taking off his clothes. He had felt naked enough as it was. There was no way of telling how far he had walked, but eventually he had found the city of Tuanul.

That was how he found himself searching the streets, drawing eyes, trying to find her, the voice in his head. She was talking to him now too, whispering directions. Even so, he feared she wasn’t real. He feared she was only a figment of his imagination.

“Turn left in the next alley. The entrance is small, don’t miss it.”

He did as he was told. The narrow corridor opened wider after a few good steps. His eyes were still trying to adjust to the sudden dimness of the alley when her voice spoke again, only, this time, not in his head.

“Ben,” she said, “you made it.”

He looked up, finding someone who was not, as he had imagined, older than him, but younger. Had he really found her? Was she really the one who was going to help him?

The girl walked closer, her eyes holding a world of understanding. “You’re safe now, Ben,” she said. “You made it. We will protect you from him. You no longer have to fear him.”

He acted purely on instinct as he stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her lithe frame. Tension flooded out of him together with his breath. She smiled against his shoulder, one hand lightly skimming his side while the other touched his cheek.

“I’m Rey. Welcome home.”


	41. Girl

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 20190204 - [Girl](https://www.deviantart.com/dianaiiz/art/reylo-2-720882273)
> 
> Tags: Violence; Mention of rape; Attempted rape

He looked around in confusion. This was not his dream. It most definitely was not his dream. He was certain he had never seen this desert landscape before, nor the small, decrepit village he saw in the distance.

With a frown, he turned a full circle, taking in his surroundings. The colours were muted, not as vibrant as one would expect in a desert. Something was definitely off. He cursed under his breath. How had he even ended up in someone else’s dream? And whose dream was it?

The sound of a whirring, sputtering engine caught his attention and he turned back towards the village. In the distance, he could see some form of speeder coming his way. He squinted to see the small figure driving it. More speeders became visible, chasing the first one. Kylo could hear voices browbeating the small figure.

Impassioned, he watched them come closer until, much to his surprise, he noticed the small figure on the bike was a young girl. He thought she was about ten years old, perhaps eleven. What was such a small girl doing on her own, riding a speeder through the desert, fleeing a bunch of grown men? His eyes flickered to the men. What were  _ their _ intentions? Had she stolen the speeder?

Then, the speeder started whining instead of whirring and stopped working all together a couple of meters further. Its nose plunged into the sand and the girl was thrown off. Kylo raised an eyebrow in surprise as she nimbly twisted her body to roll out of the fall. Without hesitation, she started sprinting. The loose sand, however, slowed her down immensely. The girl still hadn’t noticed him.

It didn’t take long before the men overtook and surrounded her. Her eyes narrowed in defiance as she grabbed the staff that was slung across her shoulders and took a defensive position. It looked as if the staff was made of metal scraps and too heavy for such a little girl to wield. Still, she proudly held it between herself and the men.

“Come on, sweetheart,” one of the men said, leering. “We’ll give you good pay. A portion for each of us.”

“That much?” another one protested. “Look at how skinny she is. She doesn’t need more than half a portion a day; why give her more?”

“Don’t be such a prude,” a third said, advancing on the girl. “Let us have a look.”

The latter took another step closer and she swung her staff. Even from a distance, Kylo could hear the crunch of his knee breaking. He was surprised yet again by her strength. 

“You little bitch!” the man screamed.

“Come on guys,” another said angrily. “She had her chance to earn some portions out of it. Too bad for her, let’s just take what we want.”

Kylo’s lip curled in disgust as cheers erupted from the group. They all advanced on the girl — who had gone pale but refused to back down. He watched as she managed another few good hits before one of the men managed to grab her staff and pull it from her hands. As soon as they grabbed her, the girl turned into a little spitfire — kicking her legs, throwing punches, screaming, biting, and trying to poke the men’s eyes with her little fingers.

Kylo could only admire the fighting spirit of the little girl. Deciding he had been passive enough, he walked up to them.

“Stop,” he commanded.

The men froze and turned around. The girl stared at him in confusion. He could sympathise with that. 

“And who do you think you are?” one of the men questioned.

Kylo smirked. “Your worst nightmare.” 

He grinned as he slowly choked the offensive man — even though his mask prevented the man from seeing the expression. When he dropped dead into the sand, the others ran back to their speeders — one of them helping their injured friend — and took off. The girl scrambled away from him, her eyes wide.

“No need, girl,” Kylo said. “Now tell me, who are you and why am I here?” She merely stared up at him. “Tell me!” he commanded, making her flinch.

“R- Rey, I’m Rey.”

“Rey  _ what _ ?”

The girl stood, squaring her shoulders and giving him the same, defiant look she had given the others before. “Just Rey.”

He looked down on her and waited, but nothing more seemed forthcoming.

“Why am I here?” he asked again.

“Uhm,” she shifted her stance, “to save me?”

“You have no say over what I do and don’t do,” he exclaimed, insulted by the mere idea.

She opened and closed her mouth a couple of times, then shrugged. “You still saved me.” Her eyes flitted to the ground. “This time,” she mumbled.

“This dream, is it a recurring thing?”

Rey shrugged again. “It’s an adaptation of a memory?”

He stared at her. She sounded nor acted like a ten-year-old. On the contrary, she acted a lot more mature than her age. 

“Explain,” he commanded.

“It happened; I managed to escape. I dream that I didn’t.” Her voice was strong but her eyes betrayed her fear. “It happened to someone in the village. Multiple times. I heard her scream once. It was- It was-” Her voice broke slightly and she squeezed her eyes shut, before taking a deep breath. When she looked up at him, her eyes had turned to steal. “She killed herself some time ago.”

“So you summoned me here to save you?”

“No idea. Who are you, anyway?”

He growled. “You don’t know who I am?” he barked.

She wasn’t fazed. “No.”

“I’m Kylo Ren, Supreme Leader of the First Order!”

“Is that supposed to mean anything?”

He spluttered with indignation, rage boiling in his veins, but for some obscure reason, he couldn’t find it within himself to put the girl in her place. Before he could decide upon a course of action, however, he woke up in his own bed.

xXxXxXx

A couple nights later, he sighed with irritation as the same desert landscape emerged in his sleep. Not waiting to see what happened, he ignited his saber and killed those assaulting little Rey. She grinned at him.

“Would you stop summoning me?” he barked at her. “I’m not yours to command.  _ Nobody _ commands me.”

“I’m not summoning you,” she piped up, still grinning. “You just show up when I need you. Well, in my dreams, at least.”

“This is not of my own doing.”

“Well, it isn’t mine either!” Rey put her hands on her hips, looking even more like a miniature adult and less like the child she was.

“Then why am I here?”

“Apparently to save me.”

Kylo grumbled with annoyance. “Don’t be so obtuse,” he said. “ _ Who _ are you?”

“I already told you; I’m Rey.”

“Yes, yes, but where are we? What do you do? Where are your parents?”

It seemed he said something wrong for she turned her eyes away from him, her grin quickly vanishing, replaced by a trembling lip.

“We’re on Jakku,” she whispered. “I’m nothing.”

“Define nothing,” he demanded unfeelingly.

“My parents left me here, but they’ll be back one day. In the meantime, I scavenge scraps for food.”

“Jakku? That scrapheap planet?”

“Yes, that one.” 

She started saying more but the image faded away. Kylo grumbled and turned on his other side. Damned scavenger girls!

xXxXxXx

“You again.” 

He had come across what seemed to be a half-buried ship that served as a shelter. As soon as the desert had materialised, he had prepared himself to kill yet another set of men, only to find Rey doing quite a good job of it herself. Granted, there was only one man this time, but he was getting quite the beating.

“Why are you here?” she wondered aloud. “I didn’t need you.”

“Obviously not,” he answered. “But that didn’t hold you back from calling me here, it seems. Stop doing that.”

“It’s not me!”

He huffed in disbelief. “Who taught you how to fight?” he finally asked as it seemed he wasn’t going to leave the dream anytime soon. 

“I taught myself.”

That surprised him. “No teacher?”

“None.”

He thought she looked quite proud of herself and he couldn’t blame her. Of course, there was a lot of improvement to be had concerning her fighting skills, but she held her own quite well. There was a long silence and he grumbled in annoyance.

“Why exactly am I still here?”

“Don’t know. Perhaps because I’m sick?”

Kylo eyed her. “You don’t look sick to me.”

“This is a dream, idiot.”

He clenched his fists. She dared call him an  _ idiot _ ? 

“I haven’t had enough food for days,” she continued with a shrug, “and my water supply is all but gone. Won’t be long before I’m dead, I guess.”

She sounded completely blasé about it, which shocked him to no end. She seemed like such a fighter.

“So you’re planning on giving up?”

“You have to know when you’re defeated. It’s not like anybody cares, anyway. At least you’ll be rid of me too.”

The words, together with the resignation in her voice, had him in a fit of rage. She was supposed to fight! This small girl on an all but abandoned desert planet, the one who kept summoning him against his will, was not supposed to give up! A ten-year-old was not supposed to think nobody cared!

“We’ll see about that!” he exclaimed, forcing himself to escape the dream and wake up.

He had the entire crew in a fit as he ordered immediate course to Jakku. He slammed the first commander against a wall — he could hear a couple of ribs breaking but didn't care — and the second one was smart enough not to question him after that. After scanning images of the most prominent settlements of the planet, he recognised the one he had seen in the dreams. 

As soon as his shuttle appeared above Niima Outpost, half the settlement’s inhabitants disappeared into the desert. Kylo couldn’t care less. He was scanning the area around the settlement for human life when the smallest touch of a Force signature caught his attention. Ignoring his equipment, he followed it, figuring it was her. He was surprised to think she was a Force user. Of course, that could explain how he ended up her dreams all the time.

Before long, he found the half-buried ship. He almost had to bend double to enter the small living space. It reeked of sickness. Rey was lying on top of a blanket on the sand. She was beyond skinny, her small figure nothing but skin and bones. Carefully, he touched her arm. She was burning up and didn’t even react to his touch. She looked sallow, her skin much too dry.

It was clear to him that she was near death. He decided he would not let that happen. He would help her fight. So he picked her up, took her to his shuttle, and then to his ship. He gathered odd looks while he marched her into the med bay.

“Make sure she survives, your life depends on it,” he said to one of the doctors in charge. 

The woman promptly paled. “Yes, sir! Certainly, sir! Please put her on the bed and we’ll get started immediately.”

He left her there and tried to forget about her. It was no use. Even though he was no longer summoned to her dreams, she kept popping up in his. During the day, he couldn’t help but wonder how she was doing. He refused to check up on her. This child had too much influence on him.

Almost a week after he had gone to pick her up, a distressed officer barged into his training. Kylo immediately Force shoved him against a wall. They all knew better than to disturb him while training. The fact that this man had risked it gave Kylo enough pause to give him a chance to speak.

“The girl, it’s the girl,” he choked, trying to catch his breath.

“The girl?”

“Yes, sir. She’s awake but hostile. She’s causing quite a bit of trouble, sir.”

“Are you telling me, a ten-year-old cannot be handled by the staff?” His voice held a threatening edge.

“We’re, uhm, unsure about what’s allowed, sir,” the officer said, clawing at the invisible hand around his throat.

Kylo abruptly released him and headed to the changing room freshner. After a quick shower, he marched off towards the med bay. He could hear voices from quite a distance.

“Please remain calm,” a woman frantically asked. “We mean you no harm. Please, we-”

“No! Where am I? What’s all this?”

Kylo turned the corner and almost smiled at seeing the girl waving around her staff. “You’re on my ship,” he said, his voice booming over the ruckus.

“You!” she shouted, then her face fell. “I’m dreaming again?”

“No.”

“You kidnapped me?”

“You could say that.”

“Why?”

“You were dying.”

“Why save me?”

“You are a fighter. Now let the doctor do her job. If you’re cleared, they’ll escort you to my Throne Room after.” 

He glanced at the woman and she quickly nodded her assent. Without further pause, he turned and walked away. He needed some time to think about what to do with little Rey before they brought her to him. Perhaps he could train her as his successor? However, she was as Light as one could come, despite her experiences. It was quite the conundrum. 

As such, he found himself lounging on his Throne not long after. He had drilled the doctor on Rey’s condition and had explained the girl what had happened.

“But my family!” she had exclaimed.

“Do you really wish to return to people who had no trouble abandoning you?”

She hadn’t had an answer to that and the topic had been dropped. After a huge yawn, she had settled herself on his throne, in between his sprawled legs. Surprised, he had not thought of pushing her away.

“Thank you for saving me,” Rey said, before leaning to her side and swiftly falling asleep.

Kylo stared down at her, not knowing how to deal with the little girl and her trust. 

“What am I to do now?”


	42. (Un)wanted Marriage

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 20190211 - [(Un)wanted Marriage](https://www.deviantart.com/heidihastings/art/Hand-in-Hand-723167018?fbclid=IwAR1H7CooIsP4_h7v_AQGbl68tsB1Yd_jedUIOqYucl53WuUbM3BH9OUcO3I)

 

The irony wasn’t lost on her. It was hard to play the part while in fact this was all she had ever wanted. As she walked to the entrance of the large ceremonial room they had selected, she remembered the conversation she had had with Leia.

_“You wanted to see me?” she asked Leia._

_“Yes, Rey, please sit down.”_

_Rey thought Leia looked nervous but didn’t comment on it._

_“I have a difficult thing to ask of you, Rey,” she said. “You know we all love you, right?” Rey nodded, frowning. “Peace negotiations between us and the First Order have been going well and we’ve come to a mutual understanding. Only, there’s one clause that makes or breaks our peace and it involves you.”_

_“Me?” Rey echoed. “How can it have anything to do with me?”_

_“They want to connect the Resistance and the First Order. They want a symbolic merge between the two. Rey, darling, I don’t know how to say this without shocking you, but they want you to marry Kylo Ren.”_

_Leia leaned forward and put a hand on Rey’s knee in comfort, misinterpreting Rey’s shock._

_“I’m sorry I have to ask this of you, but would you please consider it?”_

_“Rey swallowed, trying to figure out how to properly respond to such a thing. “An, uhm, an arranged marriage? To Kylo Ren?”_

_“Yes.”_

_“I’ll think about it?”_

_“Please, Rey. I won’t force you to do this, but it might be our only chance. They’re expecting an answer by the end of the week.”_

_Rey nodded and left, anger rising in her chest._

Of course, Leia hadn’t known – and still didn’t know – that Kylo and Rey had already been meeting behind everybody’s backs. Apart from their Bond, they had been finding the time to meet on abandoned planets. What had irked Rey was not the proposal in and of itself, but the fact it had been Leia who had told her.

_“Ben!” she yelled over the Bond as soon as it was safe._

_“Rey? What’s up?”_

_“Is this your way of asking me to marry you without actually having too ask? This is the most convoluted plan ever! Why couldn’t you just ask me?”_

_“Leia told you?”_

_She pounded his chest. “Is that all you can say?” she screamed at him. “You coward! You could have asked me yourself! Do it the proper way!”_

_He grabbed her wrists and held them between them. “You’re shock needed to be genuine, Rey,” he said. “We both agreed not to tell the other anything that could endanger our goal. We’re so close now.”_

_“But his is so- so-“_

_“Clinical?”_

_Rey nodded and pouted. He pulled her closer and kissed the top of her head._

_“I promise I’ll make it up to you.” He wrapped his arms around her. “I promise,” he murmured against her hair._

_“It will never be the same.” She was still pouting._

_“We need to look like strangers when we get married,” he said. “I know it isn’t ideal and I would have loved to do things the proper way myself, but some sort of symbol was needed. I actually wasn’t the one who suggested it.”_

_“You didn’t?”_

_“No. One of my staff did. The man was terrified, but he talked sense so I let him live.”_

_“Ben!”_

_He laughed. “Just kidding. About the man being in danger that is; he truly was terrified of making the suggestion. Little does he know.”_

_Rey snorted. “Little do they know indeed.”_

Reaching the entrance to the grand room, she fought hard to keep her face neutral while she studied Ben. Although he was still fully dressed in black, his attire had somewhat changed to emphasize his already strong physique. He was staring at her with an equally passive face but, over the Bond, she could feel his admiration. Rey looked down to hide her smile.

“If you would both hold hands,” one of the assistants of the ceremonial master asked. He paled when he was met with two glares. “Please,” he continued. “It’s a clear message of a unified front from the very start. It would seem bad if either of you looked reluctant.”

Faking disgust at the idea, they took hold of each other’s hands.

“And if you would now ignite your sabers on the outer sides, please.”

“You are annoying me,” Kylo growled right before his saber came to life with an electric buzz.

The man paled even further and took a couple of cautious steps back. Rey faked focus on her own saber to hide yet another smile. As the assistant walked away for further preparations, Ben winked at her. She grinned right back, before again moulding her face into something neutral.

Not long after, the double doors opened and they started walking down the long, long red carpet. They kept quite a distance between them, looking the part of two people being forced into a marriage neither truly wants but both agreed upon to keep the peace.

Yes, the irony was clear for Rey. While most of the room looked at her in pity, feeling sorry that she was forced into such a situation, there was nothing she wanted more in the galaxy, than the man walking beside her.


	43. Golden Tail

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 20190304 - [Golden Tail](https://www.deviantart.com/haloren1st/art/Mermay-744892799?fbclid=IwAR0DGOca7XxMDn_RDGilMFKxY1qoDJxa__ZbcfLAOcslxaPbRrL9vbVaUZE)
> 
> Tags: Pirate AU; Mermaid!Rey
> 
> The wonderful LostInQueue made a beautiful, beautiful fanart for this drabble. I'm absolutely in love with it and so grateful to her for making it. Go check it out! - [Fanart by LostInQueue](https://www.deviantart.com/lostinqueue/art/Golden-Tail-Fan-Art-For-Noppoh-RFR-Drabble-790336482)

 

“We caught one! Captain! We caught one!”

Kylo raised his head at the excited shouts of his first mate. He couldn’t be yelling what Kylo thought he was yelling? Could he? The door to the cabin flew open and Hux all but barrelled in.

“We caught one!” the man repeated.

Behind him, Kylo could see flashes of golden. In between the shouts of the men, he could hear unearthly screeches. Kylo shot out of his seat. They had finally managed to catch one! Ignoring his still babbling first mate, he strode out on deck.

There, surrounded by his awe-struck men, was the most beautiful creature he had ever seen; one he had previously only caught glimpses of while it rescued him from a watery death. He didn’t know if this was the same one as before. He didn’t care.

The mystery of the unknown had driven him to search the ocean time and time again. Odd flashes of gold had decided his ship’s course. The occasional supply stop and ship raiding had been necessary to keep the crew happy, but as soon as possible he had been out searching the elusive again. And now, he had finally caught it.

It – she? – was surrounded by the net she had been caught with, but that didn’t stop her from trashing around. Long, brown hair was tangling with the ropes and her tail was twisted around so she was practically lying on the end of it. Her delicate fins were being squashed by the net. It looked painful, and indeed at places they had torn and she was bleeding.

Most shocking of all was the golden colour of her scales. They glittered almost blindingly in the bright sunlight.

Kylo stepped forward, raising his hands in what he hoped was a calming manner. “Stop fighting, we mean you no harm.” With a look at his men, he ordered them to lessen the tension on the net. “We do not wish to hurt you.”

The glare she shot his way startled him. She hissed and bared her pointed teeth in an obvious threat. He decided to ignore it.

“Remove the net.”

“But sir,” one of the men protested, “she could get away.”

One look was enough to have the sailor cower in fear. Hux quickly took over, ordering the men around. The creature seemed to understand their intentions as she lay still while they worked. When one of the men reached out to touch her, she lashed out at him with another ferocious hiss.

“Leave her be!” Kylo ordered. “And get some bandages to my cabin.”

Once she was freed, she pushed herself up to her arms and continued to warily glare at him.

“Return to your posts, I’ll deal with it.”

Reluctantly, the sailors scattered themselves. Hux took two steps back and held watch, ready to help if needed. Kylo stepped forward and she bared her teeth again, causing him to once more raise his hands.

“I merely want to take you out of this sun and into my cabin,” he spoke, doubting she could understand but hoping his voice sounded calming.

For good measure, he pointed from him to her and then to the door. She followed his movements with her eyes. Taking that as understanding, he took another step forward. She bent her arms, as if crouching, and glanced towards the ship’s railing. Her grimace told him she had realised there was no escaping.

“I honestly mean you no harm,” he said again.

She tossed her head with an annoyed movement. It was only then he saw her ears were finned as well. One of them had a badly torn tip. The realisation that he was responsible for harming such a beautiful creature tore at his heart.

She looked away from him and down her tail. He followed her gaze. Slowly, she uncurled it, then flapped it once. It was longer than he had expected. Her scales were turning dull where they dried under the sun. He feared that, if she stayed on deck much longer, she would develop burns.

“I will carry you inside,” he stated, stepping forward once more.

Her head snapped back to him. The look in her eyes had turned keen and calculating. It was obvious to him the creature was intelligent and he wondered exactly how much of the situation she understood.

When Hux moved forward as well, she reacted violently. The man quickly backed down. It occurred to Kylo that those sharp teeth she had just exposed to the ginger would soon be near his neck. He hoped with all his heart that she was intelligent enough to realise she wouldn’t survive if she attacked him.

She twitched as he cautiously neared her. It was obvious that the prospect of being touched did not agree with her, but he guessed she understood the necessity of it. Crouching, he slowly – _very_ slowly – wrapped an arm around her waist.

He could hear a continued, low, disgruntled noise coming from her. Much like an annoyed version of a cat’s purring. Despite this small warning sign, she lifted part of her tail so he could tuck his arm underneath and pick her up. It curled so it wouldn’t drag across the wooden boards.

She held her chin up and looked away from him the entire walk towards his cabin. He didn’t speak, fearing he would startle her. Once inside – the door being held open by Hux – he carefully placed her on the one sofa his quarters held.

“Get me a barrel of seawater,” he ordered Hux, hoping she would take some comfort from wetting herself with a towel.

He marvelled as he waited for Hux to return. Bandages and medical supplies were resting on his bunk but he decided to wait until he had water to wash away the small streaks of blood.

Kylo couldn’t process that he had actually caught this creature. There were so many things he wanted to know. What exactly was she? Were there more of her species? If yes, where? But, if he was honest, the one thing he wanted to know most was why one of them – be it this one or another – had saved him those many months ago.

The door opened and he glanced over his shoulder to see two sailors carrying in the requested barrel. They hovered, staring at the creature, until Kylo raised a threatening eyebrow. They quickly turned and left.

“I won’t be needing you either. Mind the ship.”

“Captain, I feel uncomfortable leaving you alone with this … thing.”

“Wouldn’t that be the perfect opportunity to take over the ship then?” Kylo answered, turning his back on his first mate in a clear dismissal. “Get out of my quarters.”

He didn’t need to see the man’s face to know Hux had pinched his lips and furrowed his brow in obvious dislike. If it was not that the sailors disliked the ginger as much as Kylo did, he would have long thrown him overboard. Be that as it may, the man was a fine sailor and a good first mate.

As soon as the door closed, Kylo stood and grabbed a few clean rags. He dropped them in the water and pushed the barrel closer to the creature on his sofa. She was watching him with caution but didn’t seem to feel threatened.

“Are you even supposed to be out of the water?” he said, more to himself than to her. “Obviously you can breathe air.”

He wrung out the rags and placed them where her tail seemed the driest. Her eyes momentarily fluttered close. He smiled at her reaction, gratified that it worked. Methodically, he applied the wet rags to the entirety of her long tail. She flicked it a couple of times and he wondered why. Was it an automatic reaction to the wetness? Was it because her tail was cramping up? Did it have another meaning?

Every now and then, he opened his mouth to ask something but never actually did. She wouldn’t understand it so why even try? She was allowing him to touch her, to study her; that would have to be enough.

As he reached the torn and scratched scales, he carefully cleaned them out. He wondered if he should risk stitching the worst tears up. It would hurt her and he wasn’t sure she would understand. Perhaps once she understood he meant her no harm?

Eventually, he sat back, at a loss for what to do now that he finally caught his obsession. She had watched him the entire time. The annoyed purring had stopped, but her eyes still held their wariness.

“I’m Kylo,” he finally said, pointing towards himself. It seemed as good a thing to say as any.

“I know.”

He froze in surprise, glad he was already sitting down. Her voice was high and slightly scratchy, the words distorted with a thick accent, but he had heard them clearly.

“You know?” he asked, not minding how his voice trembled. She understood?

An odd sound escaped her. He figured it was a laugh. “Sailors talk.”

“Sailors talk?”

She braced herself on one arm and vaguely waved towards the main deck. “Sailors.”

“Wait. You could understand everything that was said?”

She smiled and the sight was most stunning. It caught his breath. For a moment he was remembered of myths about sailors lured to their deaths by beautiful sea creatures. Should he be wary?

“They think stupid, easier to hurt,” she said.

Kylo laughed. Apparently she had a vicious streak in her. He could only conclude he liked it.

“Do you have a name?” he asked.

“Rey.”

“Rey,” he repeated.

Suddenly, she narrowed her eyes at him. “You keep me upside?” she asked angrily.

“No,” he said, figuring she wanted to know if he would keep her on his ship. “No. I just- What are you?”

“Ocean mermaid.”

“ _Ocean_ mermaid?”

“Different small sea mermaid.”

“Oh.” He dragged his hand through his hair. “One of you saved me once. I’ve been … trying to find your kind since.”

“Me.”

“I caught you, yes. I’m sorry for the rough handling.”

She shook her head. “Me save.”

Kylo blinked. Had he understood correctly? “It was you who saved me?”

“Yes.”

“Why?” he blurted out.

Why would anyone want to save him? He was a pirate. Someone who had rebelled against both his parents and had run away at age 13. His life was worth nothing.

She tilted her head as she looked at him. “You strong. You good.”

He barked out a laugh. Good? Had the sun damaged her brain?

She scowled at him. “You good!”

“I’m a pirate captain,” he said. “I’ve sunk dozens of ships, killed hundreds of men. Still you call me good?”

Her mouth opened and closed again. It was obvious she wanted to say something but didn’t know the words. Eventually, she made a frustrated noise and thumped her chest, just above her heart.

“Here.”

“You’re delusional.”

“No! I follow. I see. I hear. You good. Then storm.”

“You were following us when that storm hit us?”

Rey nodded.

“Why?”

“Bored. Alone.”

That was it? She had been bored and alone? “Why are you here now?”

For the first time, she looked away from him. “Follow.”

“You have been following us all this time?”

“Yes.”

“But, how? We made port; there were battles. How did you keep up?”

“Ship sings.”

He processed that, trying to find the meaning behind those words, but came up short. “Ships sing?” he finally asked.

She nodded. “Ship sing. Different.”

His ship was singing a song? He stared at her, confused, until it suddenly hit him. “Each ship makes a different sound while sailing?”

Rey beamed at him as she nodded, her entire face lighting up. She truly was stunning. The tear in her ear caught his attention and he got up.

“I’m so sorry about this,” he said, reaching out. “I can stitch it, if you’d like. This one and the other ones?”

“Stitch?”

“Tie the two pieces together with thread.” He rolled up his sleeve and showed her a scar from when an enemy sailor had almost cut him to the bone. “It will hurt, but it will heal better.”

For a long time, she stared at the scar on his arm. “Heal better?” she finally asked.

“Yes.”

Rey nodded her assent and he went to retrieve the medical supplies form his bunk. He had sewn more than one of his men back together; he felt accomplished enough to call himself an expert by now.

“Sit very still,” he said, wanting to start with her ear. It was by far the worst. She hissed when the needle pierced the delicate skin. “So, every ship makes a distinct sound while sailing and that’s how you could track us?” he asked to distract her.

“Yes.”

“Why are you still following us?”

There was a short silence. “Protect,” she finally murmured. He had to strain in order to hear her.

“Protect?” He was starting to feel like an idiot with how often he echoed her words. “How?”

“Storm come. I swim. You follow tail. Ship safe.”

Kylo froze, then forced himself to continue mending her ear. Carefully, he recollected all those times he’d seen a flash of golden. Every time he had changed course in order to chase it. How often had he avoided a storm like that? Had he been running a fool’s errant? Had he really been searching something that had been with him all that time?

It certainly made him feel like a fool.

“You throw nets,” there was humour mixed with exasperation in her tone of voice, “fun game.”

 _Game?_ She had thought it a _game_?

“Then why get caught today?” he asked, knotting the thread and moving to a fin on the side of her tail.

“Fake wale song.”

That threw him off completely. Wales could sing as well? And what was a ‘fake’ wale song? He must have made some sort of confused noise because she elaborated.

“Fake wale song,” she repeated sounding sad. “Mermaids. Me alone.”

It took him a while to figure that one out as well, but eventually he thought he understood.

“You heard others of your kind call and were distracted?” he finally asked. “Why not swim out to meet them?”

She shook her head and refused to say more, no matter how he rephrased the question. He gave up and started dapping alcohol on her wounds, causing her to hiss again.

“Trust me, it helps,” he assured her.

She huffed in response. He could see her arms were starting to quiver from holding herself up for so long.

“Would you-“ he started, stumbling over his own words. “Would you stay around if I return you to the sea? Or will you leave?” She looked at him but didn’t answer. “I want to know more. I want to get to know you”, he finally ventured. “I’ll keep you company?”

“You drown in sea.”

A surprised laugh escaped him. “Yes, true, but I have this ship.”

“You want me stay?”

“Yes.”

“No more net.”

He worried his lips. He had learned his lesson. “No more nets, I promise. We will find another way. Can you get in and out of a skiff on your own?”

“Yes.”

“Then that’s what we’ll do,” he determined. “I’ll command the crew to come and get me when they see you and then I’ll lower a skiff.”

Rey nodded. “Need water,” she said after another moment of silence.

He looked her over and noticed her scales were once more turning dull. At the realisation, he marched to his door and stuck out his head.

“Get a skiff ready to be lowered!” he shouted.

Immediately, sailors scattered to do his bidding. Hux walked his way.

“May I be of service, captain?” he asked.

“Hold open the door.”

Kylo walked back inside towards Rey. “I’ll get you back to the ocean now, don’t worry,” he said, picking her up.

He was immensely pleased as he wrapped her arms around his neck. Ignoring the stares of his crew, he stepped into the skiff with Rey still in his arms. She randomly flapped her tail around before curling it into the little boat. Kylo had to hide an amused grin, remembering her earlier words about sailors being easier to hurt if they thought her stupid.

“Lower us to the sea,” he ordered.

“You’re letting her go?” Hux exclaimed. “She’s worth a fortune!”

“I could throw you in the ocean with her?” Kylo stated with an icy calm. All present knew that tone of voice meant imminent danger for whoever tried to oppose him.

“No, captain. Apologies, captain.”

Kylo smirked as the man disappeared from view while they were lowered towards the ocean. Rey was staring longingly at the water.

“You promise you’ll stick around?” he asked again, just to be sure.

She smiled at him. “Yes.”

“Good,” he said.

Careful not to topple the small boat, he lifted her up and lowered her into the water. He could see the relief on her face as the water enveloped her. She reached up to touch his face with one hand before promptly disappearing below the surface.

He stared at where he had last seen her golden glow for a long time before he ordered to be pulled back up. There were orders to be dispatched, new horizons to be discovered, and ships to raid. Knowing that she would stay near made him feel calm. Life was good.


End file.
